TRICHINELLOSIS OF WOLVES FROM THE EUROPEAN PART OF RUSSIA

Abstract

The research purpose was to identify the prevalence and intensity of Trichinella infection in the Eurasian wolf. The work on the diagnosis of trichinellosis and on the larvae isolation was performed in 2020–2022. Carcasses of wolves were brought from the territories of hunting farms of various regions in the European part of Russia. Muscle sections were examined by the compression method to detect Trichinella larvae. The Gastros apparatus was used to isolate Trichinella larvae. Peptolysis of muscle tissue using artificial gastric juice was performed using ACROS pepsin (Belgium, USA). Twelve animals were studied during the reporting period. The results of the in-house studies showed significant invasion in this animal species. Trichinella larvae were found in 58.3% of animals. The animals aged 1–3 years were the most infected by helminths. The least infected animals were 3–5 years old. The average intensity of Trichinella invasion was 29 larvae in one g of muscle tissue. These groups of animals were obtained by sport hunters in the Chuvash Republic and the Republic of Dagestan. The average rate of Trichinella infection in carnivores were in wolves up to one year old. The prevalence of infection in this group was 60.0% with an average intensity of 32 larvae in one g of muscles. Animals obtained on the hunting farms in the Tver and Ryazan Regions and the Republic of Karelia were free from the infection.