Long-term study of internal parasitic infections in free-ranging roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from NW Spain
- Morrondo Pelayo, María Patrocinio
- Díez Baños, Pablo
- Francisco, I.
- Arias Vázquez, Maria Sol
- López Sández, Ceferino Manuel
- Panadero Fontán, Rosario
- Pato, Francisco Javier
- Dacal, Vicente
- Painceira, A.
- Vázquez, L.
- Díaz Fernández, Pablo
ISSN: 0718-8730
Year of publication: 2010
Volume: 69
Issue: 2
Pages: 172-177
Type: Article
More publications in: Revista Ibero-latinoamericana de parasitología
Abstract
In 1993-95 and 2007-09 hunting seasons, a total of 128 and 367 faecal samples, respectively, were collected from roe deer hunted in North-western Spain in order to study the evolution of internal parasitic infections over the last 12 years. Coccidian oocysts (Eimeria spp), eggs of cestodes (Moniezia spp) and gastrointestinal nematodes (Strongylids, Nematodirus spp, Trichuris spp, Capillaria spp) and bronchopulmonary nematode larvae (Dictyocaulus spp and Varestrongylus spp) were identified by means of coprological techniques. In the last 12 years, we observed a high percentage of samples containing parasitic forms, 56% (95% CI 47-64) in 90s and 87% (95% CI 83-90) in actuality. The risk of infection by different parasitic forms was higher in hosts sampled in recent years than 12 years ago. In both cases, the highest infection prevalence corresponded to gastrointestinal nematodes (27%, 95% CI 19-35 in roe deer sampled 12 years ago and 67%, 95% CI 62-72 in present years) and the lowest to cestodes (Moniezia spp; 4%, 95% CI 1-8 over 12 years ago and 3%, 95% CI 2-5 in actuality). All the samples were negative to trematode eggs. In general, the most frequent infections were produced by parasites with direct life-cycle (Eimeria spp and gastrointestinal nematodes) and the lowest prevalent ones were caused by indirect life-cycle parasites (Moniezia spp). From these results we can conclude that there was a significant increment in the prevalence of infection by endoparasites in the last 12 years, in special of direct life cycle parasites that could be related to the increase of roe deer populations.