Abstract
An abattoir survey was performed in the French Melanesian archipelago of New Caledonia to determine the prevalence of paramphistomes in cattle and deer and to generate material for molecular typing at species and subspecies level. Prevalence in adult cattle was high at animal level (70% of 387 adult cattle) and batch level (81%). Prevalence was lower in calves at both levels (33% of 484 calves, 51% at batch level). Animals from 2 of 7 deer farms were positive for rumen fluke, with animal-level prevalence of 41.4% (29/70) and 47.1% (33/70), respectively. Using ITS-2 sequencing, 3 species of paramphistomes were identified, i.e. Calicophoron calicophorum, Fischoederius elongatus and Orthocoelium streptocoelium. All three species were detected in cattle as well as deer, suggesting the possibility of rumen fluke transmission between the two host species. Based on heterogeneity in ITS-2 sequences, the C. calicophorum population comprises two clades, both of which occur in cattle as well as deer. The results suggest two distinct routes of rumen fluke introduction into this area. This approach has wider applicability for investigations of the origin of rumen fluke infections and for the possibility of parasite transmission at the livestock-wildlife interface.
Highlights
Paramphistomes, or rumen fluke, are the most common parasites in the rumen and reticulum of cattle, buffalo, sheep, deer and other ruminants
Cattle herds were located in 16 of the 33 municipalities of the island, with 85% of the herds inspected located on the West coast. These municipalities largely correspond to the main cattle breeding area of New Caledonia
The only previous prevalence study in the Pacific area was conducted in cattle in Queensland, Australia and revealed a prevalence of 12.5% in cattle [28], which is much lower than the prevalence observed in New Caledonia
Summary
Paramphistomes, or rumen fluke, are the most common parasites in the rumen and reticulum of cattle, buffalo, sheep, deer and other ruminants. They belong to the trematode phylum of helminth parasites and, apart from their organ predilection within the definitive host, they have a life-cycle similar to that of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica. Adult paramphistomes live on the lining of the first stomach of grazing ruminants and release eggs into the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in shedding of eggs in the host’s faeces. The eggs hatch to release miracidia, which are temporarily free-moving within the environment. Miracidia locate and penetrate a suitable molluscan intermediate host, typically a small snail.
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