Aim:The study was conducted to know the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of captive wild animals at Bir Moti Bagh Mini Zoo (Deer Park), Patiala, Punjab.Materials and Methods:A total of 31 fecal samples from eight species of captive animals including Civet cat (Viverra zibetha), Porcupine (Hystrix indica), Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), Spotted deer (Axis axis), Black buck (Antelope cervicapra), Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), Hog deer (Axis porcinus), and Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) were screened using classical parasitological techniques including sedimentation and floatation technique.Results:Out of 31 fecal samples examined, 20 were positive for parasitic ova/oocysts of different species indicating an overall prevalence of 68.0%. The six different types of parasites observed in the study included strongyle (67%), Strongyloides spp. (14%), coccidia (38%), Trichuris spp. (19%), ascarid (10%), and Capillaria spp. (10%). Strongyles were the most common parasites observed (67%) followed by coccidia (38%). Mixed helminth and protozoan infection were observed in 48% of animals. No cestode or trematodes were detected during the study.Conclusion:The high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites without overt clinical signs of disease or mortality as observed in this study is suggestive of subclinical infection. The findings will help in formulating the appropriate deworming protocol for parasitic control in these captive animals.

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We monitored the prevalence of endoparasitic infections of rodents in Punjab State, India, between January 2004 and December 2005. Three species of wild rodents, namely the house rat, Rattus rattus (n = 42), the lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis (n = 34) and the Indian gerbil, Tatera indica (n = 15), were live-captured from houses and crop fields. Examination of various organs revealed that the highest rates of endoparasitic infection occurred in R. rattus (40.5%), followed by B. bengalensis (35.3 %) and then T. indica (20.0%), with an overall infection rate of 35.2%. All three rodent species were found naturally infected with one or more species of helminths. Metacestodes (1-6) of Cysticercus fasciolaris (larvae of Taenia taeniaeformis) were found in all three rodent species (in the liver). In one male T. indica, numerous robust T. taeniaeformis metacestodes were found in oval sacs attached to the mesentery and the abdominal wall, an unusual site. The cauda epididymal fluid of the same gerbil was also found to be infected with a very rare species of strongylid nematode, which could not be identified to genus or species level. It is possible that this nematode is transmitted sexually and thus may affect the reproductive potential of gerbils. This appears to be the first report of this phenomenon. In one B. bengalensis individual, the intestine was found to be obstructed with an acanthocephalan, Moniliformis moniliformis, with concurrent infection with C. fasciolaris in the form of multiple cysts in the liver. Although no natural protozoan infection was found in these field rodents, experimental Trypanosoma evansi infection has been established in all three species with high pathogenicity, and the possibility of sexual transmission was supported by the presence of T. evansi in the cauda epididymal fluid of male rats.

Aim:The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitism in small ruminants in relation to various risk factors in the western zone of Punjab.Materials and Methods:During the study, 603 fecal samples (391 of sheep and 212 of goats) were examined qualitatively by floatation and sedimentation techniques, and quantitatively by McMaster technique.Results:Out of the 603 fecal (391 sheep and 212 goats) samples examined, 501 were found positive for endoparasitic infection with an overall prevalence of 83.08%, consisting of 85.16% and 79.24% in sheep and goats, respectively. Egg per gram in sheep was apparently more 1441.88±77.72 than goats 1168.57±78.31. The associated risk factors with the prevalence of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) parasites showed that females (85.97%) were significantly more susceptible than males (69.23%). Age wise the adults (>6 months) were significantly more prone to parasitic infection as compared to young ones (<6 months). Seasonal variation was recorded throughout the year and was significantly highest during monsoon (90.10%), followed by winter (83.84%) and summer (78.35%).Conclusion:The study revealed an overall prevalence of 83.08% of GIT parasitic infections in small ruminants constituting 85.16% in sheep and 79.24% in goats in the western zone of Punjab. The most relevant risk factors for the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitism in ruminants were sex, age, and season.

The pathology of Trypanosoma evansi infection was studied in Swiss albino mice using cattle isolate of the parasite. Sixteen Swiss albino mice were used in the experiment and were divided into two groups viz. infected group (I) and uninfected healthy control group (II) comprising 12 and four mice, respectively. Twelve mice from group I were infected with 1 9 10 5 purified trypanosomes. Systematic necropsy examination specifically of the infected mice (group I) as well as of healthy control (group II) was performed and pathological changes were recorded. The different tissue samples were collected in 10 % neutral buffered formal saline and were used to study the histopathological changes. Gross post-mortem examination revealed enlargement of spleen, petechial haemorrhages in liver in the terminal stages of disease. Tissue sections revealed presence of numerous trypanosomes in blood vessels of liver, spleen, brain and kidneys. Microscopically, liver revealed lesions varying from vacuolar degeneration, coagulative necrosis along with congestion and haemorrhages. Spleen showed extensive haemorrhages in red pulp area, haemosiderosis and aggregation of histiocytes resulting in multinuclear giant cell formation. Lungs revealed oedema, congestion and mild inflammatory changes. Brain revealed mild degenerative changes along with congestion of meningeal blood vessels. Kidneys showed tubular degeneration, congestion and cellular infiltration. Heart revealed mild degenerative changes along with interstitial oedema. All changes were consistent with trypanosome infection and were confirmed by presence of trypanosomes in most of the tissue sections examined.