Lungworm and stomach worm infection in relation to body fat reserves and blood composition in wild boar (Sus scrofa).
Lung and stomach nematode burden was estimated in 8 juvenile and 12 adult wild boar (Sus scrofa), shot in The Royal Forestry 'Het Loo' between January 1988 and April 1989, in order to study whether body fat reserves or blood composition (i.e., nutritional status) is correlated with the parasite burden. Only bone marrow fat, the last fat reserve to be mobilized, showed a slight negative correlation with the stomach worm burden. Serum urea concentration, an indicator of severe undernutrition, was weakly correlated with the stomach worm burden in juvenile boars. These results suggest a relatively small impact of these parasites on animals with a lowered nutritional status. The burden of lungworms or stomach worms did not provide reliable information about the body condition of wild boar.
Wolkers
J
J
Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Large Animal Medicine and Nutrition, The Netherlands.
Wensing
T
T
Groot Bruinderink
G W
GW
Schonewille
J T
JT
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*