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Ascarid nematodes in domestic and wild terrestrial mammals.
Abstract: The biology of the ascarid nematodes has been discussed in the context of their important economic role in farm animals, pet animals and zoo animals with special attention to carnivores and primates. In farm animals, infection with the most common roundworm of horses (Parascaris equorum) and swine (Ascaris suum) depend on many factors such as environmental conditions (larval development in the egg and egg survival), age of the host, breed, husbandry system, hygiene and treatment schedule. The monoxenic ascarids Toxocara canis and T. cati are the most important nematodes in carnivorous animals (dogs, cats, foxes) and carnivores in the zoo. In the period of March 2000 till March 2001, 57.1% of examined representatives of Felidae, Ursidae and Canidae in the Zoological Garden of Wrocław were found to be infected with ascarids (T. canis, T. cati, Toxascaris leonina). The prevalence of T. canis in the Canidae was 66.7%, of T. cati in the Felidae was 14.3%, while 57.1% of the Felidae carried T. leonina infection. Ascaris lumbricoides, a typical parasite of primates, was found in some gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans during parasitological survey.
Publication Date: 2003-01-07 PubMed ID: 12512563 The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
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Summary
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This research study discusses the biology of ascarid nematodes (a family of roundworms) and their role in affecting a variety of domestic, farm and zoo animals – their presence notably prominent in carnivores and primates. Factors affecting ascarid infection such as the environment, age, breed, husbandry system, hygiene, and treatment plans are emphasized.
About Ascarid Nematodes
- Ascarid nematodes are a family of parasitic roundworms, which commonly afflict a variety of mammals, both domestic and wild.
- These parasites can pose significant health risks to their hosts, causing a range of diseases.
Ascarid Infection in Farm Animals
- The study focuses on the prevalence of ascarid infection in farm animals, focusing on horses and swine.
- In these animals, infection with common roundworms like Parascaris equorum (in horses) and Ascaris suum (in swine) is influenced by various factors.
- These factors include environmental conditions which affect larval development and egg survival, age of the host animal, breed, husbandry system (the method by which the animals are raised), hygiene standards, and the treatment schedules.
Ascarid Infection in Carnivores
- The study discovered that carnivorous animals, including dogs, cats, and foxes, are particularly susceptible to two particular nematodes, Toxocara canis and T. cati.
- Over a one-year period, 57.1% of tested animals in Felidae, Ursidae and Canidae families in a zoo in Wrocław were found to have ascarid infection.
- The prevalence of T. canis in the Canidae family was notably high, standing at 66.7%, while T. cati was found in 14.3% of the Felidae family. T. leonina, another nematode, was found in 57.1% of the Felidae tested.
Ascarid Infection in Primates
- The study also found ascarid infection in primates during a parasitological survey. Ascaris lumbricoides, a typical parasite of primates, was observed in gorillas, chimpanzees, and orang-utans.
The study concludes that ascarid infection is a widespread issue across various animal groups, underlining the need for effective preventive and treatment procedures.
Cite This Article
APA
Okulewicz A, Lonc E, Borgsteede FH.
(2003).
Ascarid nematodes in domestic and wild terrestrial mammals.
Pol J Vet Sci, 5(4), 277-281.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of General Parasitology, Microbiological Institute, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland. annaok@microb.uni.wroc.pl
MeSH Terms
- Animal Diseases / economics
- Animal Diseases / parasitology
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic / parasitology
- Animals, Wild / parasitology
- Animals, Zoo / parasitology
- Ascaridia / isolation & purification
- Ascaridia / physiology
- Ascaridiasis / economics
- Ascaridiasis / epidemiology
- Ascaridiasis / veterinary
- Primates / parasitology
References
This article includes 43 references
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Tan J, Weber S, Zuber R, Kummrow M, Schnyder M. Endoparasites in carnivores in Swiss zoological institutions between 2009 and 2024: evaluation of risk factors and deworming strategies. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2026 Apr;29:101199.
- Sardari M, Nourian A, Parsa F, Zafari S, Taherkhani H, Maghsood AH, Matini M, Motevali Haghi SM, Fallah M. Migration Pattern and Tissue Tropism of Toxascaris leonina (Linstow, 1902) Larvae: An in vivo Evaluation. Iran Biomed J 2025 May 1;29(3):167-172.
- Hernández-Hurtado L, Gomes J, Pereira L, Vila-Viçosa MJ, Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez C. First report of Hexametra angusticaecoides Chabaud & Brygoo, 1960 (Nematoda: Ascarididae) in a population of captive central bearded dragons, Pogona vitticeps Ahl (Squamata: Agamidae). Syst Parasitol 2024 Nov 19;102(1):6.
- Esteban-Sánchez L, García-Rodríguez JJ, García-García J, Martínez-Nevado E, de la Riva-Fraga MA, Ponce-Gordo F. Wild Animals in Captivity: An Analysis of Parasite Biodiversity and Transmission among Animals at Two Zoological Institutions with Different Typologies. Animals (Basel) 2024 Mar 6;14(5).
- Cai W, Zhu Y, Wang F, Feng Q, Zhang Z, Xue N, Xu X, Hou Z, Liu D, Xu J, Tao J. Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of Toxascaris leonina (Linstow, 1902) and Baylisascaris transfuga (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jan 24;14(3).
- Civáňová Křížová K, Seifertová M, Baruš V, Hodová I, Mašová Š, Nurcahyo W, Foitová I. First Study of Ascaris lumbricoides from the Semiwild Population of the Sumatran Orangutan Pongo abelii in the Context of Morphological Description and Molecular Phylogeny. Life (Basel) 2023 Apr 14;13(4).
- Cháves-González LE, Morales-Calvo F, Mora J, Solano-Barquero A, Verocai GG, Rojas A. What lies behind the curtain: Cryptic diversity in helminth parasites of human and veterinary importance. Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis 2022;2:100094.
- Peng ZW, Ning Y, Liu D, Sun Y, Wang LX, Zhai QA, Hou ZJ, Chai HL, Jiang GS. Ascarid infection in wild Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) in China. BMC Vet Res 2020 Mar 10;16(1):86.
- Jin YC, Li XY, Liu JH, Zhu XQ, Liu GH. Comparative analysis of mitochondrial DNA datasets indicates that Toxascaris leonina represents a species complex. Parasit Vectors 2019 May 2;12(1):194.
- Kołodziej-Sobocińska M, Yakovlev Y, Schmidt K, Hurníková Z, Ruczyńska I, Bednarski M, Tokarska M. Update of the helminth fauna in Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Poland. Parasitol Res 2018 Aug;117(8):2613-2621.
- Xie Y, Niu L, Zhao B, Wang Q, Nong X, Chen L, Zhou X, Gu X, Wang S, Peng X, Yang G. Complete mitochondrial genomes of chimpanzee- and gibbon-derived Ascaris isolated from a zoological garden in southwest China. PLoS One 2013;8(12):e82795.
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