Parasite Of Deer Research Articles

Parasitic findings on threatened pudu deer from Central Chile accounts first genetic characterization of lice parasitizing P. puda in Chile and the first molecular report of Taenia hydatigena metacestodes in this species

Southern pudu (Pudu puda) is a threatened endemic deer of the temperate forests of Chile. In recent years pudu populations rates have decreased mainly due to anthropogenic causes including forest loss and landscape fragmentation. In this context, the parasitic fauna of Chilean pudu has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the parasitic status of rescued pudu n = 13 from its natural habitat in Central Chile (Maule region) during March 2022 and June 2023 by applying morphological, histopathological, and molecular analyses. As result, we report the presence of transmission of parasites from dogs to pudus as showed by the presence of metacestodes of the parasite Taenia hydatigena on omentum, liver, and pleura of pudus during postmortem examinations, being the first molecular report on the presence of this parasite on Chilean pudu. Meanwhile, ectoparasite examinations determined the presence of chewing and sucking lice on pudu exemplars here analysed. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of lice revealed new insights on Bovicola and Anoplura lice parasitizing P. puda in Chile, equally being the first genetic characterization of lice parasitizing pudu exemplars in Chile. In addition, parasite loads of lice and metacestodes were analysed. However, no statistically significance was observed when comparing environmental and individual traits influence on parasite load variation. Overall, the study area is the northern limit of habitat distribution of this specie in Chile and we here provide novel information on pudu deer parasites, thus making a useful and valuable contribution to the parasitological knowledge on this threatened species.

Parasitofauna of farm red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Western Polissya of Ukraine

The formation of the parasite fauna of wild ungulates and control of diseases caused by them is an essential veterinary measure in the breeding of deer. The study aimed to conduct monitoring studies on the infestation of red deer parasites (Cervus elaphus) during commercial cultivation during acclimatization in the Western Polissya of Ukraine. Faecal samples (n = 30) were taken from females of four ecotypes of the Eastern European breed, English, Hungarian, F1 crossbreed (Eastern European x Western European breed), and males of different ecotypes. The research was performed between May and September 2020 at the Department of Parasitology and Ichthyopathology, Stepan Gzhytskyi National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies Lviv. Eggs and larvae from nine species of helminths were found in the faeces of parasitic deer at Amila Farm: Trichostrongylus axei, Ostertagia ostertagia, Cooperia oncophora, Haemonchus contortus, Chabertia ovina, Murisillo capides (Capillaria bovis), Dicrocoelium dendriticum, including eight species of nematodes and one species of trematodes, as well as oocysts of two species of protozoa: Eimeria ellipsoidalis, Eimeria brasiliensis. Intensity of Trichostrongylus nematode, Ostertagia, Coperia, Hemonhus, Habertia, Aonhoteca (capillary), strongyloides and mulleria larvae on the scale of invasiveness (up to 100 EGF/LGF) in May and September was low, and dicrocelia trematodes eggs – low and medium (1–10, 11–100 EGF) in September, indicating the subclinical course of helminthiasis and their constant release during this period into the environment. The intensity of parasitic protozoan infestation was also low (1–10 OGF) in May and relatively high (11–100 OGF) in September. The intensity of parasitic protozoan infestation was also low (1–10 OGF) in May and relatively high (11–100 OGF) in September.

A participatory surveillance of marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) morbidity and mortality in Argentina: first results

BackgroundIn an era of unprecedented socio-ecological changes, managing wildlife health demands high-quality data collection and the engagement of local communities. Blastocerus dichotomus, the largest South American deer, is Vulnerable to extinction mainly due to habitat loss. Diseases have been recognised as a potential threat, and winter mortality has been historically described in marsh deer populations from Argentina. Field difficulties have, however, prevented in-depth studies of their health status.ResultsBetween May 2014 and April 2017, we investigated marsh deer morbidity and mortality in the two largest populations in Argentina. We collected data by means of a passive surveillance system that involved a network of researchers, field partners (veterinarians, park rangers, and local community), and decision makers. We sampled marsh deer during as well as outside mortality events. A total of 44 marsh deer with different body condition scores were evaluated. We obtained haematology and biochemistry values from animals with good body condition score. Marsh deer with poor body condition had a high burden of the ticks Amblyomma triste and Rhipicephalus microplus. Vector-borne agents such as Theileria cervi, Trypanosoma theileri, Trypanosoma evansi, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Anaplasma platys, Anaplasma odocoilei, Anaplasma marginale, and Candidatus Anaplasma boleense were also found. Haemonchus spp., Ostertagia spp., and Trichostrongylus spp. were the most frequent gastrointestinal parasites in deer with poor body condition. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis reinforced a possible association of winter period with lower body score condition, high tick loads, infection with E. chaffeensis, and presence of harmful gastrointestinal parasites.ConclusionsOur approach allowed the establishment of a participatory surveillance network of marsh deer morbidity and mortality in Argentina. We report and analyse the first data obtained opportunistically within the framework of this network, providing information on the infectious and parasitic agents in marsh deer populations. The occurrence of Fasciola hepatica and Leptospira interrogans serovar pyrogenes is reported for the first time in wild marsh deer from Argentina. Our data will be useful to improve the interpretation of future mortality events. The field implementation of a surveillance network is key to a holistic approach to wildlife diseases.

Emergence of the arterial worm Elaeophora schneideri in moose (Alces alces) and tabanid fly vectors in northeastern Minnesota, USA

BackgroundMoose (Alces alces) are a culturally and economically valued species in Minnesota. However, the moose population has experienced a sudden, marked decline in their range, including extirpation in the northwest and a 66% decline in the last decade in the northeast portions of the state. Although the exact cause of this decline is unclear, parasitic metastrongylid and filarioid nematode infections are known causes of morbidity and mortality in moose across North America.MethodsTo determine if these parasitic nematodes could be contributing to the Minnesota moose population decline, we molecularly examined banked tissues obtained from moose that died of known and unknown causes for the presence of nematode DNA. Extracted brain DNA of 34 individual moose was amplified utilizing primers targeting the 18S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer regions of nematodes.ResultsDNA sequencing revealed that PCR products obtained from 15 (44.1%) of the moose were 99% identical to Parelaphostrongylus tenuis, a metastrongylid known to cause neurological disease and death. Additionally, brain tissue from 20 (58.8%) individuals yielded sequences that most closely aligned with Elaeophora schneideri, a parasite associated with neurological impairment but previously unreported in Minnesota. Setaria yehi, a common filarioid parasite of deer, was also detected in the brain tissue of 5 (14.7%) moose. Molecular screening of 618 captured tabanid flies from four trapping sites revealed E. schneideri was present (6%) in the Minnesota environment and transmission could occur locally. Prevalence rates among the flies ranged between 0–100% per trapping site, with Chrysops spp. and Hybomitra spp. implicated as the vectors.ConclusionsUltimately, these data confirm that P. tenuis is widespread in the Minnesota moose population and raises the question of the significance of E. schneideri as a contributing factor to morbidity and mortality in moose.

Methods of preservation and flotation for the detection of nematode eggs and coccidian oocysts in faeces of the forest musk deer

Parasitic infections influence the health of captive forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) and affect population increases. Nevertheless, there are few quantitative studies regarding forest musk deer parasites, and there is no common preservation method or flotation solution used for detection of faecal parasites because of the biology of the worms and the host physiological state. The objective of this study was to evaluate preservation and flotation methods for the detection of nematode eggs and coccidian oocysts in faeces of the forest musk deer. The McMaster technique was used to count nematode eggs and coccidian oocysts in 33 samples of faeces. For the nematode eggs, the differences among flotation solutions were significant (P<0.01), with sodium nitrate being the best flotation solution, and the combination of freezing and sodium nitrate resulted in the greatest number of eggs per gram (EPG=209.4±67.8). For the coccidian oocysts, the interaction between preservation method and flotation solution was significant (P<0.01), and the combination of formalin and sodium chloride yielded the greatest number of oocysts per gram (OPG=1010.7±162.3). The forest musk deer had a high prevalence of parasitic infections, with the parasite load of coccidia (96.4%) significantly greater than that of nematodes (71.9%, P<0.01). These results confirm that captive forest musk deer suffer from serious parasitic invasions and demonstrate that the novel method described here could be utilized for parasitological diagnosis, detection and prevention in species of Moschidae and Cervidae.

Landscape influence on spatial patterns of meningeal worm and liver fluke infection in white-tailed deer.

Parasites that primarily infect white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), such as liver flukes (Fascioloides magna) and meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis), can cause morbidity and mortality when incidentally infecting moose (Alces alces). Ecological factors are expected to influence spatial variation in infection risk by affecting the survival of free-living life stages outside the host and the abundance of intermediate gastropod hosts. Here, we investigate how ecology influenced the fine-scale distribution of these parasites in deer in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. Deer pellet groups (N = 295) were sampled for the presence of P. tenuis larvae and F. magna eggs. We found that deer were significantly more likely to be infected with P. tenuis in habitats with less upland deciduous forest and more upland mixed conifer forest and shrub, a pattern that mirrored microhabitat differences in gastropod abundances. Deer were also more likely to be infected with F. magna in areas with more marshland, specifically rooted-floating aquatic marshes (RFAMs). The environment played a larger role than deer density in determining spatial patterns of infection for both parasites, highlighting the importance of considering ecological factors on all stages of a parasite's life cycle in order to understand its occurrence within the definitive host.

Study of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Deer at Char Kukri Mukri in Bhola District

To study the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of deer, 127 fecal samples were collected from Char Kukri Mukri upazilla of Bhola district of Bangladesh during the period from January to May, 2013. Eighty eight samples were found to be infected with gastrointestinal parasites and overall prevalence rate was 69.29%. Fasciola sp. (8.66%), Paramphistomum sp. (20.47%), stomach worm (18.11%), hook worm (20.47%), Strongyloides sp. (1.57%), Oesophagostomum sp. (1.57%), Eimeria sp. (6.30%) and Balantidium coli (1.57%) were found. The overall prevalence of nematode, trematode, protozoan and mixed infection were 29.13%, 25.19%, 5.51% and 9.45% respectively. Seasonal prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in summer and winter were 70.59% and 66.67% respectively. The range of EPG/CPG/OPG varied from 100 to 300 among the parasites and highest count was found in Paramphistomum sp. (300), hook worm (300) and stomach worm (300). This study provided a first overview on parasites in deer in the vicinity of villages, but to evaluate parasite transmission dynamics much more studies were required on livestock and on wild herbivores.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v12i1.20460 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2014). 12 (1): 27-33

Development of 12 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers using a next generation sequencing approach for Spiculopteragia spiculoptera, a nematode parasite of deer

Twelve novel polymorphic microsatellite markers were produced and characterized for Spiculopteragia spiculoptera (Nematoda, Trichostrongyloidae) a common parasite of abomasum of Roe and Red deer, using next generation sequencing approach, and two multiplexes PCR were developed with these markers. Polymorphism of each locus was tested in 40 individuals of this species from diverse wild populations of cervids, and was tested for crossed-amplification on four other species of nematodes, close to S. spiculoptera among the Trichostrongyloidea: 20 Spiculopteragia houdemeri, 34 Ostertagia leptospicularis, 16 Ashworthius sidemi, and 25 Trichostrongylus spp. Our new microsatellite markers seem to be specific to Spiculopteragia spiculoptera since no amplifications were obtained for the four other species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 12, the average observed and expected heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0.025 to 0.641 and from 0.049 to 0.664, respectively. Four of the 12 microsatellite loci showed significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (which two slightly significant). One locus pair showed significant linkage disequilibrium (Sspi4 vs. Sspi8). Neither evidence of scoring error due to stuttering nor evidence of large allele dropout was found at all of the 12 loci, but evidence of null alleles was indicated at three loci because of general excess of homozygotes for most allele size classes. These polymorphic loci will be useful markers to study population genetics structure of Spiculopteragia spiculoptera in order to understand transfer and to explain the relationships between deer populations.

Characteristics of roe deer bot fly infection in the southern part of the Great Hungarian Plain

I am investigating the occurance of one of the diseases caused by parasites in plain roe deer populations, namely a botfly larvae, Cephenemyiastimulator, (Clark, 1815) ranged among the Oestridae family. Nasal botfly larvae are common roe deer parasites and are generally spread nationwide. The subject of the present survey is the processing of the data gained about roe deer bucks of the year 2009 and their infestation indices. I investigated botfly larvae in 90 bucks’ nasal and pharyngeal cavity. We have found botfly larva in 18.9% of the examined bucks (prevalence), this means 17 infected specimen. I collected 218 pieces of larvae from the samples, with a 12.8 pieces average intensity. In my investigations prevalence was lower and mean intensity was higher than in previous Hungarian researches. This was manifested both in my overall data, and in our examinations by the different age groups.

Rodents of the subfamily Sigmodontinae (Myomorpha: Cricetidae) as hosts for South American hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) with hypotheses on life history

Historical information shows that Sigmodontinae are irrelevant hosts for South American ticks of the genera Haemaphysalis Koch, Rhipicephalus Koch and Dermacentor Koch. Nine Amblyomma Koch species were found on Sigmodontinae but only Amblyomma triste Koch, 1844 appears strongly related to them. Eighteen species of Ixodes Latreille were determined on these hosts. Four species sporadically infest Sigmodontinae; eight are found mostly on Sigmodontinae but the records are too few for any inference. Six: I. amarali Fonseca, 1935, I. longiscutatus Boero, 1944, I. loricatus Neumann, 1899, I. luciae Sénevet, 1940, Ixodes sigelos Keirans, Clifford and Corwin, 1976 and I. venezuelensis Kohls, 1953 are usual parasites of Sigmodontinae. It is proposed that the Ixodes-Sigmodontinae relationship evolved from a South American tick ancestor parasite of Didelphidae. Their descendants are two extant clades, one formed by I. loricatus-I. luciae defined by analysis of 16S rDNA sequences further including I. amarali and I. schulzei by morphological affinities. These species (I. schulzei excluded) have adult ticks feeding on Didelphidae and sub-adult ticks feeding on Didelphidae and several species from five sigmodontin tribes. The second clade is formed by I. abrocomae Lahille, 1916 (known from few specimens, mostly collected from Sigmodontinae), I. sigelos (mainly a parasite of Sigmodontinae), I. stilesi Neumann, 1911 (parasite of deer), and possibly I. taglei Kohls, 1969 (parasite of deer) by morphological affinity. This clade is related to I. neuquenensis Ringuelet, 1947, an exclusive parasite of Dromiciops gliroides Thomas (Microbiotheriidae Ameghino).

Vector-borne nematodes, emerging parasites in Finnish cervids

Vector-borne nematodes, emerging parasites in Finnish cervids

Ectoparasites on Reintroduced Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus in Israel

The ectoparasite fauna of reintroduced roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was surveyed in a Mediterranean forest in Israel. Ectoparasites were collected from four female hand-reared deer during 2004 and 2005. Seasonality, predilection sites of infestation, and the apparent effect of the parasites are presented. This is the first study of roe deer parasites in the East Mediterranean. The ectoparasite fauna included three hippoboscid fly (Lipoptena capreoli, Hippobosca equina, and Hippobosca longipennis), four tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus kohlsi, and Hyalomma marginatum), and one unidentified trombiculid mite species. For most of these ectoparasites, this is the first record on roe deer. All ectoparasite species were documented in Israel prior to the reintroduction program; exotic ectoparasites were not detected.

A survey of anthelmintic use and internal parasite control in farmed deer in New Zealand

AIM: To survey parasite control programmes and anthelmintic usage over a 12-month period on deer farms in New Zealand. METHODS: A questionnaire of general farm data, policy and procedures for anthelmintic use, anthelmintic programmes for weaner and older deer, general information and understanding of parasite management practices was posted to 500 deer farmers in November 2004. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-seven (45.4%) replies were received, and 198 (39.6%) were suitable for analysis. Ninety-four percent of respondents used anthelmintics at least once in the 12-month period; 53% treated all classes of deer and 22% treated only weaners. Seventy-four percent based anthelmintic dose on weight of the heaviest animal, and 36% used a weigh scale. Weaner deer (n=175 farms) were treated 1–13 (mean 3.2) times in their first 12 months, at the earliest commencing in January and at the latest in November. The mean interval between treatments ranged from 41 to 46 days. Yearling and adult hinds and stags were treated at least once (range 1–7 times) on 55–64% of farms, depending on class of animal. Moxidectin was the anthelmintic most commonly used (46–58%, depending on class of animal), followed by abamectin, eprinomectin, oxfendazole, ivermectin, albendazole, levamisole and doramectin. Perceived efficacy was the most common reason for choosing a type of anthelmintic. Weight gain and body condition were the most common measures used for monitoring parasitism in weaners and older deer, respectively, and few respondents used faecal egg and/or larval counts. Coughing and/or scouring were associated with parasitism in weaners on 13–14% of farms, and deaths associated with lungworm and gastrointestinal parasites were recorded on 5% and 3% of farms, respectively. Veterinary input to diagnosis was involved in 23% of events. Production losses and/or death of yearling and/or adult deer due to parasitism were reported by 27% of respondents. When planning anthelmintic treatment programmes, 63% of respondents followed advice from veterinarians. Thirty-four percent always placed deer on clean or spelled pastures after treatment, while 32% did that often. Fifteen percent had incorporated forages and/or herbs with assumed anthelmintic properties into their parasite control programme. Forty-four percent were very confident of a return on investment when using anthelmintics for their deer. Respondents stated that their knowledge of the life cycle of the major parasites of deer was very good (8%), reasonably good (61%), poor (28%), or nil (3%). CONCLUSION: Anthelmintics are used on almost all deer farms, and practices and programmes vary considerably. Opportunities exist for veterinarians to assist deer farmer clients to improve their parasite control programmes.

The length of strongylid nematode infective larvae as a reflection of developmental conditions in faeces and consequences on their viability.

Isolates from eight gastro-intestinal nematode species of sheep, cattle and deer parasites were maintained in sheep and faecal cultures were processed at different temperatures (for four species) and moistures (for the eight species). For all the tested species, the third-stage larvae (L3) were longer at temperatures optimal for development and their length increased linearly with faecal moisture contents (FMC). These variations in length mainly concerned the volume of intestinal cells. The length of L3 had no consequence on their survival in water at room temperature (five species tested), but the short L3 migrated more slowly on agar gel than did the longer ones (verified for three species) and exsheathed more slowly (verified for two species). The establishment rate observed for short L3 of Teladorsagia circumcincta in lambs was lower than that seen for long L3 in three other lambs, but the developed worms were similar in length and fecundity. These results are relevant to our understanding of how the different species could adapt to and/or compensate for adverse conditions of development.

Host movement and the genetic structure of populations of parasitic nematodes.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data were used to compare the population genetic structures of five species of parasitic nematodes from three different hosts: Ostertagia ostertagi and Haemonchus placei from cattle, H. contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta from sheep, and Mazamastrongylus odocoilei from white-tailed deer. The parasites of sheep and cattle showed a pattern consistent with high gene flow among populations. The parasite of deer showed a pattern of substantial population subdivision and isolation by distance. It appears that host movement is an important determinant of population genetic structure in these nematodes. High gene flow in the parasites of livestock also indicates great opportunity for the spread of rare alleles that confer resistance to anthelmintic drugs. All species, including the parasite of deer, had unusually high within-population diversities (averages of 0.019-0.027 substitutions per site between pairs of individuals from the same population). Large effective population sizes (Ne), perhaps in combination with rapid mtDNA evolution, appear to be the most likely explanation for these high within-population diversities.

Parasites of deer in New Zealand

Abstract The majority of the deer farmed in New Zealand are Cervus elaphus, including the European red deer, North American wapiti, and their hybrids. There is a smaller but significant number of fallow deer (Dama dama) being farmed. Numbers of other species of farmed deer are insignificant. The parasites recorded from deer in New Zealand are listed and comments made about their significance, if known. From the point of view of animal health, the most important parasite is the lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus. The tissue worm, Elapho‐strongylus cervi is important to the red deer industry, not because it causes animal health problems, but because its presence limits or prevents exports of live deer to some countries. Brief comments are made on “fading elk syndrome”, efficacy of anthelmintics, and parasitological risks associated with the importation of deer.

The Vector of the Lyme Disease Spirochete

The deer (Ixodes dammini) that transmit the Lyme disease spirochete (Borrelia burgdorferi) in the northeastern United States are members of a morphologically similar group of black-legged ticks that includes the wood tick (I. ricinus) of Europe and the taiga tick (I. persulcatus) of Asia. The same also transmit human babesiosis (Babesia microti) in the United States and tick-borne encephalitis in Europe and Asia. The adult are parasites of deer, but the spirochete is acquired when the larval stage feeds on a mouse. The small nymph (shown on . . .

Studies on cross-transmission and pathogenicity of Haemonchus contortus in white-tailed deer, domestic cattle and sheep.

Experiments were conducted to compare the relative pathogenicity and infectivity of deer- and cattle-derived Haemonchus contortus for three hosts, viz., white-tailed deer, cattle and domestic sheep. Parameters evaluated for all animals were: general physical condition, basic hematologic values, fecal egg counts and parasite infectivity rates. Clinical signs attributable to H. contortus infections were not observed in any of the experimental animals. Deer harboring H. contortus burdens greater than 70 worms/kg body weight had decreased packed cell volume, hemoglobin and total serum protein values. Statistical analyses indicated there was not a significant difference (P greater than .05) in infectivity of deer-derived H. contortus in these hosts. No significant difference (P greater than .05) in infectivity for deer was noted between deer-derived H. contortus and cattle-derived H. contortus. Morphometric comparisons of helminths recovered indicated that parasites of deer and cattle origin were both compatible with the description for H. contortus. Results suggest that cross-transmission of H. contortus occurs between deer and domestic livestock.

Occurrence of the pharyngeal bot Cephenemyia jellisoni in Oklahoma white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus.

The white-tailed deer is known to harbor at least 33 arthropod parasites, exclusive of various biting flies (Anderson 1962). The role played by these parasites in causing disease and mortality of deer has not been determined. Cephenemyia jellisoni Townsend, a pharyngeal bot, could be 1 of the most harmful parasites of deer which occur in Oklahoma. These bots have been reported to be exceedingly harmful and even to cause death if numerous enough (Walker 1929, Van Roekel 1929, Stewart 1929, Bruce 1931, Guttschenritter 1934, Cowan 1943). Even though actual data are not available on annual mortality of deer in eastern Oklahoma, personal communications with wildlife rangers, refuge managers, and wildlife specialists indicate that some deer losses occur in the spring and are unaccounted for. These losses have in no way been coupled with malnutrition. However, in many instances it is obvious that these losses are caused in part by arthropod parasites other than pharyngeal bots, i.e., lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L).

Vascular and neuro-ophthalmic pathology of elaeophorosis in elk.

Elaeophora schneideri was identified as the cause of a specific neuro-ophthalmic disorder of elk ( Cerrus canadensis) in Arizona, Colorado. New Mexico, and Wyoming. This intra-arterial nematode was found within the cephalic arterial system in 10 of 16 elk with visual disturbances. Pathologic findings indicated that the parasite and the vascular lesions which it caused resulted in impairment of cephalic arterial circulation. Blindness and death were attributed to ischemic damage in the brain, eyes, and optic nerves. Although E. schneideri is a relatively common parasite of deer and domestic sheep in certain mountainous regions of the western and southwestern United States, it had not been reported in elk prior to this study.