Abstract:A cross sectional parasitological study was conducted among the underprivileged children of Begun Bari slum, Tejgaon, Dhaka during January 2015 to December 2016. Fecal samples were collected and then processed through formaldehyde-ether concentration technique. Prevalent helminths were Ascaris lumbricoides (27.68%), Trichuris trichiura (21.57%) and Taenia saginata (18.24%). Male children were at high risk for helminth infection than females. The highest prevalence of A. lumbricoides (42.11%) was observed among the children aged 10 -12 years and T. saginata (35.71%) among 13 -15 years. The prevalence of A. lumbricoides (23%) was the uppermost in the winter (23%) and the lowest in the rainy season (4.3%). Children of illiterate mothers (91.89%), bare footers (76.03%) and mud floor residents (76.43%) were more prone to helminth infections (p < 0.05).

A total of 66 (sixty-six) fresh fecal samples were collected during July 2017 to October 2018 from rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) residing in Bangladesh National Zoo, Dhaka. Samples were analyzed applying formol-ether concentration technique. All the rhesus macaques, irrespective of age and sex, were found to be infested with one or more species of gastrointestinal (GI) helminth parasites. Ascaris spp. was noticed in all the fecal samples. Overall intensity of helminths was higher in male (38.53) that in female (31.04) comprising the maximum (58.08) in adult male (p < 0.005). The highest intensity was of Ascaris spp. (3.33 ± 1.39) and found in adult male hosts. Young female rhesus macaques displayed the maximum intensity of Trichuris spp. (3.56 ± 0.73). Bangladesh J. Zool. 46(2): 231-237, 2018

Thirty six domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were examined to observe the occurrence of ecto and endoparasites. Altogether seven species of ectoparasites namely Anaticola crassicornis, Lipeurus caponis, Goniocotes hologaster, Menopon gallinae, Menacanthus stramineus, Holomenopon leucpxanthum and Dermanyssus gallinae were observed and identified. L. caponis showed the highest prevalence both in male and female (100%). Mean intensity of A. crassicornis in female ducks was the highest (14.5 ± 2.36) followed by L. caponis (12.5 ± 3.21). The lowest mean intensity was of G. hologaster (2.5 ± 1.41) in male ducks. Prevalence of D. gallinae was higher in male (62.5%) than in female (40%). The maximum percentage of ectoparasites was recovered from wing feather (38.62) followed by trunk (23.85) and skin (23.44). Among the endoparasites, the occurrence of cestodes (77.78%) was the highest with the topmost intensity (51.43 ± 4.88). The highest prevalence was of Hymenolepis columbae and Hymenolepis diminuta (60%). Echinoparyphium recurvatum, Echinostoma revolutum and Tracheohilus sisowi showed the similar prevalence (30%) in male ducks. Patagifer bilobus showed the peak mean intensity in both the male and female ducks. Only one species of nematode, Ascaridia galli was recovered. The maximum endohelminths were found in the small intestine (48.30%) followed by duodenum (31.36%) and rectum (15.32%). Bangladesh J. Zool. 47(2): 315-323, 2019

Among the 60 Anas platyrhynchos domesticus (32 males and 38 females), all the mallards were infested with Anaticola cassicornis and Lipeurus caponis. A. cassicornis displayed the peak intensity (15.5 ± 3.64) in female ducks. The lowest prevalence was of Colpocephalum turbinatum (25%) and found in male but the intensity was high (15 ± 2.23). Among the endoparasites, the highest prevalence was of Ascaridia galli (85.71%) found in female ducks and the lowest was in Echinostoma trivolvus (12.5%) found in male. The peak intensity was of Sobolevicanthus sp. (17.8 ± 2.34) in female following Echinostoma revolutum (17.33 ± 0.97). Ectoparasites were seen to infest all the seasons. But endoparasites were more prevalent in summer than the autumn and winter. Bangladesh J. Zool. 47(1): 121-128, 2019

Forty-two freshly defecated fecal samples from captive Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) were collected between May 2017 and April 2018 from Bangladesh National Zoo, Dhaka, Shaheed A.H.M. Central Park and Zoo, Rajshahi and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park, Gazipur. The collected samples were processed by Formol-ether concentration technique. Altogether nine different gastrointestinal (GI) parasites were observed and identified, which include one protozoan, Coccidia spp. (42.86%); four cestodes, Hymenolepis spp. (42.86%), Diphyllobothrium spp. (28.57%), Spirometra spp. (14.29%) and Taenia spp. (21.43%); and four nematodes Ascaris spp. (57.14%), Toxocara spp. (21.43%), Trichuris spp. (21.43%) and hookworms (35.71%). No trematode parasite was found during the study period. Dominance of helminth parasites (71.43%) over protozoan parasites was observed. The male bears were found more susceptible to parasitic infection than the females. The intensity of infection was found erratic in young and adult bears. The species diversity, animals feeding behavior and hygiene maintenance may be responsible for the high prevalence rate of gastrointestinal parasites in the present study. Bangladesh J. Zool. 48(1): 119-125, 2020