Parasite load of European brown hares in Austria and the Czech Republic

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The parasite load of brown hares (Lepus europaeus) is of great interest to hunting ground managers and veterinarians. We compared the prevalence and intensity of parasitic infections in 362 hares from Austria and the Czech Republic with respect to age and body weight. Samples of the entire gastrointestinal tract, liver and lungs were collected during autumn hunting events in 2007. The parasite spectrum of hares included Protostrongylus pulmonalis, Graphidium strigosum, Trichostrongylus retortaeformis, Trichuris leporis, Eimeria spp. and tapeworms. The most prevalent gastrointestinal nematode was Trichostrongylus retortaeformis, while only individual specimens of tapeworms such as Andrya rhopalocephala, Mosgovoyia pectinata, Cittotaenia denticulata and Ctenotaenia ctenoides were found in subadult hares. A single hare was infected with Cysticercus pisiformis in Austria. Lungworms Protostrongylus pulmonalis and findings of pneumonia were significantly less prevalent in subadult than adult hares (P < 0.01) from both countries and were much less prevalent overall in the Czech Republic (P < 0.01). Graphidium strigosum, Trichostrongylus retortaeformis, Eimeria spp. and enteritis were more prevalent in subadult hares. The nematode Trichuris leporis, on the other hand, prevailed in adults. The body weight of adult hares was negatively correlated with the intensity of infection by Protostrongylus pulmonalis (r = -0.67) and Trichostrongylus retortaeformis (r = -0.73) and the parasite loads served as significant weight predictors in multiple regression equations. This study revealed that parasitic infections of the lungs and intestines influences the health and decreases the body weight of hares in Austrian and Czech hunting grounds.

Endoparasites found in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) hunted in Macedonia, Greece

“…Trichostrongylus retortaeformis is a very common nematode in the small intestine of brown hares. The prevalence of this parasite in the present study was high (50 %), although even higher percentages have been recorded in central Europe in the past, reaching 85 % in Austria and 86 % in the Czech Republic, as referred in Chroust et al (2012). However, a relatively low prevalence i.e.…”

“…6.76 % was recorded in Slovakia (Dubinský et al, 2010). Severe infections by this parasite can result in chronic enteritis, with hyperaemia, petechiae and epithelial erosions (Chroust et al, 2012). In the present research, no visible lesions of the intestinal mucosa were observed, even in animals with high parasite abundance.…”

“…Their impact on the health status of the host is closely related to environmental parameters such as weather conditions, food supply, population density, other pathogens etc. It has been noted that in brown hares, parasitic infections, both of the lungs and intestines, influenced the health status and decreased the body weight of the animals (Chroust et al, 2012) and that mixed infections often lead to enhancement of these adverse effects of the parasites (Lukešová et al, 2012). Only a few studies of the endoparasites of European hares have been conducted in Southern Europe (Bordes et al, 2007;Alzaga et al, 2009).…”

“…commutatus) is the species identified in brown hares (Boch & Schneidawind, 1988;Costantini et al, 1990;Chroust et al, 2012). The prevalence of infection reported in previous surveys varies widely between 0 % and 60 % in different populations (Boch & Schneidawind, 1988;Frölich et al, 2003;Chroust et al, 2012). Severe cases of lungworm infection comprise dyspnoea and nasal discharge due to catarrhal pneumonia and pleuritis (Kötsche & Gottschalk, 1990).…”

Trichostrongylus retortaeformis (Zeder, 1800) (Nematoda, Trichostrongyloidea) in Lepus europaeus (Pallas, 1778) in southern Brazil

“…Reports on endoparasites in hares are sporadic (especially recently), with none from southern Brazil. The European hare was found naturally infected with T.retortaeformis in many countries in Europe (BORDES et al, 2007;CHROUST et al, 2012;LUKEŠOVÁ et al, 2012;DIAKOU et al, 2014). In Chile (South America), 60% of hares found were naturally infected with T.retortaeformis (GONZÁLEZ-ACUÑA et al, 2005).…”