title: A survey of intestinal helminths in wild carnivores from the Tatra National Park, southern Poland.
abstract: From January 2011 to July 2012, 144 faecal samples of wild carnivores from the Tatra National Park were examined to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal helminths--72 of wolves (Canis lupus), 45 of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 15 of pine martens (Martes martes) and 12 of brown bears (Ursus arctos). In wolves, monospecific infection with Trichuris vulpis (13.9%), Toxocara canis (6.9%), Ancylostoma/Uncinaria (5.6%) and taeniids (1.4%) was revealed. In red foxes, the most prevalent infection was 7 vulpis (64.4%), followed by T. canis (11.1%), Ancylostoma/Uncinaria (8.9%) and taeniids (2.2%). Monospecific infection with T. vulpis was more frequent (44.4%), than infection with two species, i.e. T > vulpis with Ancylostoma/Uncinaria, T. vulpis with T. canis or T. vulpis with taeniids (17.8%). In pine martens, Trichuris spp. was the most prevalent (40.0%), while T. cati and Ancylostoma/Uncinaria were found in 13.3% and 6.7% samples, respectively. In faeces from brown bears, no parasite eggs were found. The present survey of wild carnivores revealed a significant prevalence of parasites such as Toxocara spp. and Trichuris spp. (8.3% and 31.0% in all examined samples, respectively), which are hazardous to human and animal health.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borecka
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gawor
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zieba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002335:Carnivora / Q000469:parasitology*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology