Susceptibility of laboratory-reared Afghan pika, Ochotona rufescens rufescens (Lagomorpha: Ochotonidae), to gastro-intestinal nematodes of ruminants.

Abstract

It was shown that laboratory-reared Afghan pika, Ochotona rufescens rufescens, was susceptible to gastro-intestinal nematodes of ruminants; Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia circumcincta, Trichostrongylus axei and T. colubriformis. T. axei and T. colubriformis were recovered up to 70 days post-inoculation and their infection rates were high. Only two gravid females of O. circumcincta were recovered from the pikas necropsied on day 20 post-inoculation. H. contortus was recovered until 20 days post-inoculation but the recovery rate was very low and mature worm was not found. No worm was detected from 45 day onward. Strongyloides papillosus, Bunostomum trigonocephalum, Chabertia ovina, Mecistocirrus digitatus failed to become established in the pika.