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Acta Parasitologica, Vol.44, No. 4, 1999, 255-260
Stefancikova Asteria - Lung nematodes in chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) of the Slovak Paradise National Park.

Parasitological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic.
Correspondence address: A. Stefancikova, Parasitological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic; fax: ++421 95 63314 14.
ABSTRACT

Examination of 599 faecal samples taken over the years 1984-1993 from Alpine chamois in the Slovak Paradise National Park revealed the presence of lung nematodes Muellerius capillaris, Muellerius tenuispiculatus, Neostrongylus linearis and Dictyocaulus viviparus. Their total prevalence in chamois herds was 57.7%. Muellerius spp. were predominant (56.5%), N. linearis occurred in about half less amount (29.2%) and D. viviparus was prevalent in 2.5%. The prevalence of lung nematodes in chamois herds fluctuated with years from 41.4 to 69.4% and with seasons of the year from 33.3 to 83.3%. Mean larval count per gram faeces in individual years ranged between 73.7±60.1 and 148.5±58.0. Chamois herds were significantly less infected in summer seasons (P<0.05) than in other seasons, except for the summer of 1986, 1988, 1989 and winter of 1989. A necropsy confirmed the presence of adult stages of all three nematodes in the lung parenchyma, but in bronchi and trachea no adults of D. viviparus were observed. Mean larval count per gram lung tissue was high (152±20.9 to 270±19). The wide diversity of snail species in the territory of the Slovak Paradise, their great ability to serve as intermediate hosts of lung nematodes in various biotopes create appropriate conditions for the development of lung nematodes and consequently for the infection of chamois in the Slovak Paradise reserve.


KEY WORDS: chamois, nematodes, snails, Muellerius, Neostrongylus, Dictyocaulus, prevalence
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