A long-term survey of Fascioloides magna in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Slovakia (Danube floodplain forests) during the period of 2005 – 2015

• Published in: Helminthologia Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 243 - 247
• Main Authors: Bazsalovicsova, E, Spakulova, M, Juhasova, L', Miholics, S, Rajsky, D, Kralova-Hromadova, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg De Gruyter 01-09-2016; Walter de Gruyter GmbH; Sciendo
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Cervus elaphus; Deer; Domestic animals; Fascioloides magna; fascioloidosis; Females; Floodplains; Hunting; intensity of infection; Liver; Males; Parasites; pathology; Polls & surveys; prevalence; red deer; Regions; Surveying; Slovakia; Slovakia, Danube R
• ISSN: 0440-6605; 1336-9083
• DOI: 10.1515/helmin-2016-0024

Fascioloidosis of wild and domestic ruminants is caused by giant liver fluke,
(Trematoda; Fasciolidae). In Slovakia, the parasite is present in the Danube floodplain forests permanent focus for almost 30 years. Here we provide data on 11-year survey of
acquired from 137 red deer (
) hunted in the southwestern hunting grounds (districts Komárno and Dunajská Streda). Almost 47 % of all examined deer, including males, females and fawns, were infected with
. During the studied period, the prevalence ranged between 33.3 % (2009) and 63.6 % (2007). Prevalence of fascioloidosis varied between sexes and age categories; while the lowest overall prevalence was detected in females (33.3 %), higher values were documented for red deer males (50.6 %) and fawns (43.3 %). A presence of giant liver fluke in studied regions of southwestern Slovakia deserves future attention and ongoing monitoring due to a possible threat of
infection of domestic ruminants in overlapping regions.