Coprological analyses on apparently healthy Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) from two Swiss colonies

Marreros, Nelson; Frey, Caroline; Willisch, Christian S.; Signer, Claudio; Ryser-Degiorgis, Marie-Pierre (2012). Coprological analyses on apparently healthy Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) from two Swiss colonies. Veterinary parasitology, 186(3-4), pp. 382-389. Elsevier 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.11.009

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To provide baseline parasitological data for health surveillance in free-ranging Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex), we assessed the endoparasite population and level of parasitism in apparently healthy ibex. Faecal samples from 148 ibex were collected between 2006 and 2008 in two different Swiss ibex colonies. They were analysed by coprology, including combined sedimentation/flotation method, sedimentation method, Baermann funnel technique and Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Gastrointestinal parasites and lungworms were identified in 100% and 81.8% of the examined animals, respectively. Highest prevalences were recorded for gastrointestinal strongylids other than Nematodirus/Marshallagia spp. (100%), Eimeria spp. (100%), Muellerius spp. (79.8%) and Nematodirus/Marshallagia spp. (79.0%). We report for the first time Cryptosporidium sp. in free-ranging Alpine ibex and Cystocaulus spp. in free-ranging ibex from Switzerland. On average, ibex were infected with 3.9 different parasites taxa (range: 1-8). Parasite prevalence and diversity varied significantly between sexes, study sites and seasons. Parasite egg output was low in 95.7% and moderate in 5.3% of the samples. Overall, the results indicate that Alpine ibex are widely infected with endoparasites and suggest that multiple infections are very common in apparently healthy populations. Furthermore, our data underline the potential influence of factors such as sex, study site and season on parasitological findings.

Item Type:

 Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

 05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP) > Institute of Parasitology
05 Veterinary Medicine > Research Foci > Host-Pathogen Interaction
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP)
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP) > Center for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI)

UniBE Contributor:

 Marreros Canales, Nelson Antonio, Frey Marreros Canales, Caroline Franziska, Ryser, Marie Pierre

Subjects:

 600 Technology > 630 Agriculture

ISSN:

 0304-4017

Publisher:

 Elsevier

Language:

 English

Submitter:

 Andrea Stettler

Date Deposited:

 29 Apr 2014 15:27

Last Modified:

 02 Mar 2023 23:24

Publisher DOI:

 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.11.009

PubMed ID:

 22119388

Uncontrolled Keywords:

 Alpine ibex, Baseline data, Capra ibex ibex, Coprology, Endoparasites, Switzerland

BORIS DOI:

 10.7892/boris.51945

URI:

 https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/51945

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