Parasitological Survey in European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) Breeding Facilities in Southern Italy

Abstract

Parasites are considered important regulating factors of hosts’ population dynamics, not only in free-ranging wildlife, but also in captive bred animals. To date, only few studies have been carried out to assess the parasitic communities of the European brown hare in Southern Italy, and only one focused on animals in captivity. The aim of the present survey was to assess the composition of the endoparasite community in game hares bred for restocking purposes. For this purpose, 215 fecal pools collected in eight different breeding facilities were examined by qualitative and quantitative coprological techniques. Parasites characterized by a direct life cycle, including six species of coccidia from the genus Eimeria and the nematode Trichostrongylus retorataeformis, proved to be the most prevalent parasites. Further helminthic infestations by Passalurus ambiguous, Strongylosides papillosus, Cittotenia spp. and Dicrocoelium dendriticum were also detected, but with an overall prevalence lower than 20%. The present study contributes to increasing knowledge on the health status of a poorly investigated species, and is useful for optimizing breeding efforts in captivity.

Pets, Wildlife and Parasites

“…In addition to the oriental eye worm, European brown hares can harbour a wide diversity of endoparasites, including protozoans, trematodes, cestodes and nematodes. The survey performed by Brustenga et al [10] in Italy on 215 faecal samples from European brown hares bred for restocking purposes showed that the most prevalent parasites belonged to the genus Eimeria (91.2%), followed by the nematodes Trichostrongylus retortaeformis (21.4%), Passalurus ambiguous (9.3%), and Strongyloides papillousus (6.5%), the cestode Cittotenia spp. (5.6%), and the trematode Dicrocoelium dendriticum (1.4%).…”