Mapping habitat suitability for gastrointestinal nematodiasis of ruminants in southern Caspian Sea littoral: a predicted risk pattern model based on the MaxEnt.

Herein, we provide the ecological niches of gastrointestinal nematode infections in Guilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan provinces. For this purpose, 2688 fecal specimens of sheep and cattle were subjected to the flotation method. For modeling procedure, the results were analyzed by considering 23 bioclimatic and environmental variables as well as 96 points/locations. Maximum entropy (model MaxEnt) was used to visualize the spatial distribution of gastrointestinal nematodes. The relative importance of all variables was also assessed by using jackknife analysis. The highest proportion of sheep infection with strongyle-type egg was observed in Golestan province (57.8%) and the lowest in Guilan province (49.5%), and eggs per gram (EPG) was around 21-29. The parasites with the highest proportion of infection in both domestic animals included strongyle-type eggs. Among the different bioclimatic and environmental variables, the biggest contributor to habitat suitability of the gastrointestinal nematode presence was found to be minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6), precipitation of driest quarter (Bio17), precipitation of coldest quarter (Bio19), and altitude. The MaxEnt model was able to provide a suitable guidance for predicting the probability distribution of gastrointestinal nematodes under bioclimatic and environmental variables, and the findings pave way for integrated gastrointestinal nematode surveillance and control strategies in the southern strip of Caspian Sea. In addition, the low intensity of gastrointestinal nematodiasis in ruminants may be associated with the frequent administration of anthelmintic drugs, where actions are needed to investigate drug resistance in the areas concerned and to provide anthelmintic drugs administration in a targeted manner.

Morphological and morphometrical description of trichostrongylus species isolated from domestic ruminants in khuzestan province, southwest iran.

BACKGROUNDS: Genus Trichostrongylus (Nematoda: Trichostrongylidae) is one of the most important zoonotic nematodes with wide geographic distribution in the world. The purpose of the present study was to describe morphological and morphometrical characteristics of male Trichostrongylus species, currently prevalent in domestic ruminants of Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran. METHODS: Gastro-intestinal organs of 1600 sheep, goats, cattle, and buffalos, slaughtered in Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran, were examined for infectivity with Trichostrongylus species. For examination and measurements of helminthes, Azo-carmine staining was performed, followed by camera lucida drawings of morphological characters and measurements of morphometrical criteria with a calibrated microscope. Using valid nematodes systematic keys, almost all the parasites were identified at the level of species. RESULTS: Overall, 114 animals were found infected with at least one species of Trichostrongylus. Considering morphological characteristics of male Trichostrongylus, six species were identified including T. colubriformis, T. vitrinus, T. probolorus, T. capricola, T. longispicularis and Trichostrongylus sp. CONCLUSION: Although, compared to the previous decades, currently Trichostrongylus is much less prevalent in the domestic ruminants of the study area, but still different species occur in these animals.

Helminth infections of stray dogs from garmsar, semnan province, central iran.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to study the gastro-intestinal helminths of stray dogs of Garmsar, Semnan Province, Central Iran, and its impacts on human health and animal production. METHODS: During 2006, the alimentary tracts of 50 stray dogs at necropsy, selected from villages around Garmsar, were removed, and examined for helminth infections. Subsequently helminths were collected from the contents of each part and scraped sample of small intestines of washed materials in a 100-mesh sieve. To identify the species of helminths, the nematodes were cleared in lactophenol and cestodes were stained using carmine acid. RESULTS: Mixed infection was the rule and 40 dogs (80%) harbored more than one species of helminth. Taenia hydatigena was the most prevalent species (80%) followed by Echinococcus granulosus (64%), Toxocara canis (22%), Mesocestoides lineatus (12%), Taenia multiceps (10%) and Dipylidium caninum (4%). The mean intensity of worm infection was low (1-3) except for that of E. granulosus (645). No significant difference was noticed between sex, age and most helminth infections except for that of sex and T. hydatigena (P=0.001) as well as age and T. canis (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Although human infection with T. hydatigena is unlikely, but other helminths reported in this study are of zoonotic importance, and may pose a threat to community health, and reduce the productions of ruminants harboring taeniid metacestodes.

Prevalence of Linguatula serrata infestation in stray dogs of Shahrekord, Iran.

The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of pentastomid parasites in stray dogs between 16 November 2002 and 16 April 2003 in Sahrekord from Chaharmahalobakhtiari province, Iran. A total of 143 stray dogs were shot and the heads were longitudinally sectioned to expose the nasal cavity, and worms, if any, were carefully removed. Adult Linguatula serrata were found in the nasal cavities of 89 (62.2%) dogs. The infestation rate was 67.4 and 53.7% in males and females, respectively. The examined dogs were divided into three age groups: 1-2, 3-4 and up to 5 years old. There was a significant relationship between age and infestation rate with L. serrata (P < 0.01). The highest rate of infestation was in the second group. The number of parasites in each dog varied from one to 29 and totally 382 adult parasites were collected of which 219 were female (57.3%) and 163 were male (42.7%). Adult L. serrata were registered for the first time from dogs in Iran. This study indicates that infestation with L. serrata occurs commonly in stray dogs of this region in Iran.