OPISTHORCHIDES OF THE AMERICAN MINK (NEOVISON VISON) IN NATURAL BIOCENOSIS OF CENTRAL RUSSIA

Abstract

The research purpose was to identify helminth infections caused by the Opisthorchidae family in the American mink in its natural habitats. The material for this work was helminths collected from carcasses of the American mink during 2011–2021. We mashed up the liver in warm physiological saline, opened the cavity of the gallbladder and bile ducts with ophthalmic scissors, allowed to stand and examined the residue for trematode eggs and helminth marita. The detected flat worms were differentiated using the identification guide by D. P. Kozlov (1977). A total of 32 fur animals were studied during the reporting period. As a result of the research, 3 species of opisthorchides were identified. Pseudamphistomum truncatum was detected in 18 animals (56.3%). Areas contaminated by helminths were detected in the Ryazan Region. Metorchis albidus was found in minks in two cases (6.3%) with an infection rate of 6 and 11 trematodes per animal. Сontaminated territories were recorded in the Vladimir and Ryazan Regions. An Opisthorchis felineus pathogen was found in one mink (3.2%) in the Ryazan Region. Functional foci of trematodiases of the American mink were detected in the Central region of Russia (Vladimir and Ryazan Region). Pathogens of trematode infections of the family Opisthorchidae were recorded in the gallbladder of the animal's liver.