Dicrocoelium Dendriticum (Rudolphi, 1819) Looss, 1899 in Turkey I. Field Studies of Intermediate and Final Hosts in the South Marmara Region, 1968

Abstract

SUMMARY This study was conducted throughout the year 1968, with the object of determining the incidence of D. dendriticum infection in sheep of different ages, and of identifying the first and second intermediate hosts (land snails and ants respectively) at two places which are representative of South Marmara geographic region: Karacabey State Farm, Bursa, and Kumkale State Farm, Canakkale. The mean infection rate in sheep one year old or more was 64 per cent at Karacabey and 74 per cent at Kumkale, being higher in older sheep. In lambs born in winter 1967–1968, the first eggs of D. dendriticum were observed in the faeces in August 1968 at Karacabey and November 1968 at Kumkale. These observations indicate that lambs began to acquire their infections during the period May and June. A total of 14,684 land snails was collected from the grazing areas of sheep on the two farms (8282 from Karacabey and 6402 from Kumkale), identified, and examined for the larval stages of D. dendriticum. Helicopsis krynickii (Andrz.), H. protea (Rossm.), Cernuella virgata (D.C.) and Trochoidea pyramidata (Drap.) are new snail hosts records. Helicella candicans (Pfr.), Helicopsis derbentina (Andrz.), Monacha carthusiana (Mull.), and Cochicella acuta (Mull.), which are known hosts in Europe and Russia, have been recorded as hosts for the first time in Turkey. Infection rates in these snails ranged from 0.3 to 41.6 per cent. Monthly observations showed that snails were infected from April to December, with highest infection rates in summer and autumn.