Passaluriasis is a common infestation of lagomorphs, which clinically manifests in intense itching around the anus, various disorders of digestion and loss of weight. We performed a study of infested rabbits of the seryi veleten breed, which were kept in individual farms in Poltava Oblast (Ukraine). During the autopsy, in the cavity of the large intestine, there were found small, spindle-like helminths of white colour. Out of 10 rabbits, 846 nematodes were extracted (369 males and 477 females, identified as Passalurus ambiguus (Rudolphi, 1819) Dujardin, 1845. It was determined that the extensity of infestation in female rabbits reached 56.4%, male rabbits – 43.6%. The results of metric parameters of the nematodes are as follows: mean body length of males equaled 4.6 ± 0.4, females – 9.7 ± 1.21 mm, and maximum width – 257.4 ± 17.8 and 546.2 ± 37.1 µm respectively. A common feature of mature nematodes of this species is the presence of a rounded extension (bulbus) at the end of the esophagus. During chronic course of passaluriasis in rabbits, pathomorphological changes developed in the large intestine. The upper epithelium of the large intestine was damaged in some places, certain epithelian cells were found in the lumen of the intestine. The intestinal glands are widened, filled with slimy content of mostly dark blue-violet colour, especially in the upper sections of the glands. In the deep sections of the glands, slime was almost transparent. In deep sections of the glands the slime was almost transparent. In the epithelium cells of the glands, slimy granules were also of basophilic colour. The muscularis mucosae of the mucous membrane, especially between the intestinal glands was swollen, had practically no colour, the collagen fibers were stretched, thinned-out. Edemas were also recorded in the tela submucosa. In some preparations, the muscularis mucosae was notably infiltrated by lymphoid cells and histiocytes. On large extensions, we found some signs of hypersecretion of slime in goblet cells of the intestinal glands as accumulations of granules of slime in the cytoplasm, which had poorly developed colouration. On the side of the muscular and serous membranes, no pathological changes were found. The information presented here indicates the relevance of passaluriasis infestation as an etiological factor of occurrence of chronic catarrhal colitis with lymphohistiocytosis.

Helminths of the species Oxyuris equi Schrank, 1788 are pathogens of domestic and wild odd-toed ungulates. They parasitize in the large intestine of horses, causing colitis and dermatitis at the tail root area. The wide distribution and overall persistence of this species is significally promoted by the specifics of its development and reproduction. Here we studied the specifics of the exogenous development of O. equi nematodes parasitizing Equidae in respect to the factor of temperature and the morphometric changes in oxyuris eggs at different stages of embryogenesis. In laboratory culture of O. equi eggs obtained from female gonads, the embryogenesis occurs in four stages: morula, formation of bean-like embryo, formation of non-invasive larva and formation of infectious larva. The stages of development differ by the morphological parameters. It is established that the development of O. equi eggs is directly related to temperature. The optimal temperature for embryogenesis is 25 °С, at which the highest survival rate of infectious eggs, 81.3%, was observed. At 20 °С and 15 °С the survival of eggs decreased during culturing and the ratios of infectious eggs were 75.7% and 67.3%, respectively. Accordingly, 24.3% and 32.7% of eggs died during development. The temperature also affects the duration of development of O. equi eggs. At 25 °С, the development of Oxyuris eggs was the fastest and occurred in two days. With temperature falling to 20 and 15 °С, the duration of egg development slowed to three and five days, respectively. The process of embryogenesis in Oxyuris is associated with changes in metrical parameters. The length, width and area of egg surface increased. Length and width of egg plug, and shell width of mature Oxyuris eggs decreased. The obtained data on the duration and specifics of exogenous development of parasitic O. equi nematodes will allow effective control measures for horse oxyurosis to be developed.

Bird Lice (Mallophaga, Philopteridae, Menoponidae) of Domestic Pigeons on Specialized Pigeon Breeding Farms in Poltava. Kolomak, I. O., Kruchynenko, O. V. -The species composition of pigeon lice parasitic on pigeons of ornamental breeds on the specialized closed-type farm (Poltava) was studied. Five species of these ectoparasites were registered: Columbicola columbae Linnaeus, 1758, Campanulotes compar Burmeister, 1838, (Philopteridae, Ischnocera), Bonomiella columbae Emerson, 1957, Hohorstiella lata Piaget, 1880 and Neocolpocephalus turbinatum (Denny, 1842) (Menoponidae, Amblycera). For each species, the data on infection prevalence, intensity and abundance were obtained. High prevalence of infection was registered for all pigeon lice species, while the intensity and, especially, the abundance were considerably different. C. columbae turned out to be the most abundant. B. columbae was rather common. The peculiarities of pigeon lice species localization on the host body were investigated. During the intensive infection of pigeons with lice, the complex of clinical signs is manifested, which testifies about considerable effect of these parasites on the host. The highest pathogenicity is characteristic for H. lata, which usually feeds on blood and lymph.

Паразитарні хвороби жуйних тварин широко розповсюджені в багатьох країнах світу і завда-ють суттєвих економічних збитків тваринництву. Інтенсифікація цієї галузі впливає на видовий склад, показники екстенсивності й інтенсивності інвазії, а також особливості перебігу паразитозів. Вивчення окремих аспектів епізоотологічного процесу у разі паразитарних захворювань тварин до-зволить своєчасно попередити їх виникнення та впровадити ефективні профілактичні заходи. Дос-лідження виконували на базі лабораторії кафедри паразитології та ветеринарно-санітарної експе-ртизи Полтавської державної аграрної академії. Метою досліджень було з’ясувати особливості поширення паразитозів великої рогатої худоби та овець у літньо-пасовищний період. За результа-тами проведених копроовоскопічних досліджень встановлено, що велика рогата худоба уражена збудниками трихурозу, фасціольозу та еймеріозу, де середня екстенсивність інвазії паразитозами становить 75,0 %. Інтенсивність гельмінтозних інвазій в середньому коливалася від 8,28 до 12,50 яєць у 1 г фекалій, а еймеріозної – становила 29,13 ооцист/г. У 83,33 % випадків діагностовано моноінвазії (еймеріозну – 60 %, трихурозну – 20 % та фасціольозну – 20 %). З мікстінвазій реєстру-вали еймеріозно-трихурозну (16,66 % від загальної кількості хворих тварин). Виявлено, що вівці у лі-тньо-пасовищний період уражені стронгілятами органів травлення, трихурисами, стронгілоїдесами та еймеріями, де екстенсивність інвазії паразитозами становила 20,0 %. Інтенсивність гельмінтоз-них інвазій, в середньому, коливалася від 28,0 до 232,0 яєць/г, а еймеріозної – становила 652 ооцисти/г. Переважно паразитози в овець перебігали як поліінвазії (71,43 % від загальної кілько-сті хворих тварин), що були представлені дво- (90,48 % від виявлених поліінвазій) та трикомпонент-ними (9,52 %) асоціаціями гельмінтів та кокцидій. Найчастіше виявляли одночасний перебіг стронгі-лоїдесів та стронгілят органів травлення (76 % від виявлених поліінвазій). Моноінвазії діагностували у 28,57 % інвазованих тварин. Вони були представлені двома різновидами: стронгілоїдозна (63,64% від кількості тварин, хворих на моноінвазії), та стронгілятозна (36,36 %).

The production of environmentally friendly livestock products is currently receiving much attention, especially in the European Union. The problem of monitoring the quality and safety of meat and milk in modern conditions is relevant not only for Ukraine but also for the world community. The scientific substantiation of the methods of research on meat for sale subject to invasive diseases is especially important, as the product may pose risks to the consumer. One of the criteria for assessing the welfare of a herd is the prevalence of helminthiases in cattle. Ruminant parasitoses in Ukraine have always been and remain a separate, often significant, problem for veterinary specialists. Helminths have evolved to use a wide range of ecological niches. In this study, we tried to quantify the prevalence of helminthiases among ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats) in Ukraine. The relevant studies were searched for in the online databases. The meta-analysis included 15 publications from January 2015 to December 2020 which reported the spread of parasites in Ukraine. The research results show that the infestation of ruminants with gastrointestinal helminths on the territory of Ukraine is 56.7%. Egger’s regression test revealed no significant publication bias. During the period of pastured farming, stable parasitocenoses are formed in the body of ruminants. The parasitoses are caused by helminths (gastrointestinal strongyles, liver flukes, paramphistomas, dicrocelia). They are recorded in monoinvasions or mixed invasions. Ruminants, according to helminthological examination in different climatic zones, are constantly infested with trematodes. In Ukraine, the presence of three species of flukes has been confirmed in ruminants: Fasciola hepatica, Dicrocoelium dendriticum and Paramphistomum cervi. Parasitization by those species negatively affects the profitability of dairy farming. Trematodes cause significant economic losses: reduced milk productivity of cows, reduced live weight gain of young animals, negative impact on reproduction. At the same time, fascioliasis is socially significant and dangerous to humans. According to the analyzed literature sources, two types of cestodes have been registered in Ukraine: Moniezia benedeni and M. expansa. The epizootic situation regarding nematodes is just as fraught. That is the most numerous group of helminths, their fauna is represented by the following species: Strongyloides papillosus, Nematodirus spathiger, Bunostomum spp., Oesophagostomum radiatum, Haemonchus contortus, Toxocara vitulorum, Trichuris skrjabini, T. ovis and T. globulosa. It is proven that in cattle parasitocenoses are recorded more often than monoinvasions. The highest rates of prevalence of infection were observed when polyinvasion included gastrointestinal strongyles, namely from the order Strongylida. Strongyloides papillosus is the most common taxonomic representative, while Fasciola hepatica has the lowest prevalence of infection, especially in sheep. Updated data on helminthiasis will expand the screening strategy to maintain the health of farm ruminants and reduce economic losses.