Dr. Murai Éva szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 25. (Budapest, 1992)

Parasit, hung., 25: 69-77,1992 © Hungarian Society of Parasitologists Nematode infection and its therapy in some zoo ruminants Borisz EGRI and Gyöngyi KREPSZ* Department of Animal Physiology and Animal Health, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Pannon University for Agricultural Sciences, Mosonmagyaróvár, Vár 2, H-9201, Hungary (Received 26 July, 1992) Abstract: The gastrointestinal nematode fauna and the intensity of nematode infection were determined in some ruminant species in the zoo of Győr in 1990 by a faecal egg count technique. The ruminants included in the study were 4 North American and 2 European bison, 7 llamas and 3 Hungarian Grey cattle. After surveying their helminth fauna, the animals were treated with Vermitan paste (Sanofi-Chinoin) administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight, hidden in delicacies (apple, carrot, bread) fed to the animals. The faecal samples collected after the treatments contained mainly eggs of the genera Trichostrongylus and Haemonchus. In faecal samples of bison, the eggs of Strongyloides papillosus, Toxocara vitulorum, Trichuris ovis and Nematodirus sp. were also demonstrated. Egg shedding stopped after the anthelmintic treatments. Key words: Bison, llama, Hungarian Grey cattle, helminthological investigation, Zoo of Győr (Hungary), Vermitan paste INTRODUCTION The assessment of predicted losses forms the basis of judging the economic efficiency of control (Kassai 1989). Helminth infections cause serious problems not only in farm animals but also in zoos. The helminthoses of zoo ruminants (e.g. llamas and bison) are problems common to every zoo. Consequently, the protection of these animal species against helminth parasites is by no means negligible. If nematode infections occur among zoo ruminants, the therapeutic interventions are aimed at minimizing the worm burden rather than at complete elimination of the helminth population, as the latter would be an almost illusory effort. * graduating student of agriculture