Coccidiosis of wild and captive European mouflons (Ovis aries) living in a natural reserve of central Italy

Parassitologia. 2010 Dec;52(3-4):423-6.

Abstract

Between December 2005 and November 2006, a survey on coccidiosis of wild and captive mouflons living in the Orecchiella Natural Reserve (Tuscany, Italy) was performed on faecal samples collected approximately every two months. A total of 96 samples were collected, 55 of which from wild mouflons and 41 from captive mouflons. On these faecal samples qualitative and quantitative parasitological analyses were performed; moreover, faecal cultures were made in order to identify the involved Eimeria species. Significantly higher prevalence (%) and mean intensity (mean OPG +/- SD) of coccidian infection resulted for captive mouflons (73.17% and 814.6 +/- 1297.2 OPG) comparing to wild mouflons (36.73% and 112.7 +/- 268.7 OPG). Eimeria parva, E ovinoidalis, E. bakuensis, E. ahasata, E. intricata, E. crandallis, E. granulosa, E. faurei and an Eimeria species very similar to the descriptions previously reported for E. arloingi and E. yakimoffmatschoulsky, were isolated.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic / parasitology
  • Animals, Wild / parasitology
  • Coccidiosis / epidemiology
  • Coccidiosis / parasitology
  • Coccidiosis / veterinary*
  • Data Collection
  • Eimeria / classification
  • Eimeria / isolation & purification*
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Sheep
  • Sheep Diseases / epidemiology
  • Sheep Diseases / parasitology*
  • Sheep, Domestic / parasitology*
  • Soil / parasitology

Substances

  • Soil