No abstract

The autopsy of 487 slaughter horses revealed the presence of Anoplocephala perfoliata in 36 animals. The invasions varied in the intensity (3 to 2,069 tapeworms) and in the level of tapeworms’ proglottid maturity. Twenty nine horses were found to contain tapeworms with gravid proglottid. Fecal samples collected from the rectum were tested using following techniques: flotation with solution-saturated NaCl, decantation, McMaster’s, and modified sedimentation-flotation methods (50 g feces samples, flotation solution-saturated NaCl and sucrose, specific gravity 1.25 g/ml). The number of A. perfoliata positive fecal samples was significantly higher using the sedimentation-flotation methods 21 (58.33 %) than flotation 6 (16.66 %), decantation 3 (8.33 %), and McMaster’s 1 (2.77 %) techniques. The sensitivities of the coprological methods during the patent period were 20.69, 10.34, 3.45, and 72.41 % for the flotation, decantation, McMaster’s, and sedimentation-flotation method, respectively. Sedimentation–flotation techniques proved to be more sensitive than other one. The lowest intensity of invasion possible to detect using this method was nine tapeworms with gravid proglottid.

The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of selected pathogens in ticks taken from cats and dogs and from vegetation in urban settlements. A study was conducted to estimate the distribution of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi in adult Ixodes ricinus (236), Dermacentor reticulatus (237) and Ixodes hexagonus (3) ticks collected from animals in veterinary clinics (184) and from vegetation in urban settlements (292). The most numerous ticks collected from animals were Ixodes ricinus (73.9%), followed by Dermacentor reticulatus (24.5%) and Ixodes hexagonus (1.6%). A total of 65.8% of the ticks collected from vegetation were Dermacentor reticulatus and 30% were Ixodes ricinus. The arthropods removed from the animals were most commonly located around the neck (48.1%) and in the mouth area (17.1%). All ticks were analyzed by molecular techniques. The percentages of ticks positive for Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum among those collected from animals differed from the corresponding rates for ticks taken from vegetation in the same area. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was more common in ticks collected from vegetation (N = 137, or 47.20%) than in those from animals (N = 12, or 6.6%). Borrelia burgdorferi, as well, was more common in ticks collected from the vegetation (N = 96, or 32.9%) than in those from animals (N = 19, or 10.5%). The DNA of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi were detected in 30.4% and 22.8% of D. reticulatus ticks, respectively, and in 32.6% and 25.4% of I. ricinus ticks, respectively. The DNA of A. phagocytophilum was also found in one Ixodes hexagonus tick. Single infections were noted in 69 I. ricinus ticks, 56 D. reticulatus ticks and 1 I. hexagonus tick. Coinfections of A. phagocytophilum with B. burgdorferi were detected in 33 (14.0%) I. ricinus ticks and in 29 (12.24%) D. reticulatus ticks. Infected companion animals can form a reservoir for human tick-transmitted infectious agents. The monitoring of the pathogens transmitted by ticks is an important tool in preventing and combating infections transmitted to humans and animals..

For this study, 724 gastrointestinal tracts of slaughter horses were investigated to determine the prevalence, intensity of Anoplocephala perfoliata and tapeworm development stages over the second, third and fourth quarter of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013. For each positive horse, faecal samples were collected from the rectum or small colon for coproscopic examinations. The samples were analysed using dedicated modified sedimentation-flotation methods. In total, 52 horses were infected with A. perfoliata in the course of the study, with an overall prevalence of 7.2 %. The prevalence changed over the study period; however, not markedly. The overall mean of A. perfoliata abundance was 12.3 (3.23) and did not differ significantly between the quarters. Mean invasion intensity did not differ significantly between the quarters. The quantity of mature tapeworms did not differ significantly over the study period; however, there was a significant difference in the number of immature tapeworms. The highest number of mature tapeworms was found in the first quarter of 2013. The number of detected tapeworm eggs rose significantly over the study period. The total number of tapeworms did not have a significant influence on the presence/absence of detected eggs. However, there was a noticeable difference between the number of mature tapeworms and presence/absence of eggs in faeces. This clearly indicates that the efficacy of the modified sedimentation-flotation method is influenced by seasonality, and therefore the most effective and reliable time for detection of A. perfoliata in equines is the first quarter of the year.

In the 20th century large numbers of exotic turtles Trachemys scripta elegans have been imported into Europe as pets and this has led to frequent introductions into many freshwater ecosystems. Nowadays, established populations of red-eared slider, coexist and compete with the native in Europe species of turtles in the wild. Invasive turtles are a threat to indigenous species because of carriage of many parasites, which are often considered to cause disease emergence and produce high mortality in native hosts. Helminths are the most prominent group introduced with T. s. elegans and due to their host-switching ability have become important co-invaders, a potential threat to indigenous turtle health. The aim of this review was to assess the risks of the transfer of helminths co-introduced with T. s. elegans to native species of European turtles.