Molecular Surveillance of Gastrointestinal Helminths in Wild Ruminants: A Nationwide Study in the Czech Republic

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00027162%3A_____%2F25%3AN0000036" target="_blank" >RIV/00027162:_____/25:N0000036 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://hd2025.natur.cuni.cz/conference-programme" target="_blank" >https://hd2025.natur.cuni.cz/conference-programme</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Molecular Surveillance of Gastrointestinal Helminths in Wild Ruminants: A Nationwide Study in the Czech Republic

Original language description

This contribution was presented at the 29th Helminthological Days, Kostelec nad Černými lesy, Czechia, 12-16 May 2025 as a oral presentation. Biological communities have undergone significant changes in recent years due to globalization, climate change, and increasing human socio-economic activities. These factors have facilitated the introduction of non-native species into new habitats, often accompanied by parasitic organisms known as "biological hitchhikers." Some of these parasites successfully adapt, reproduce, and spread in new environments, becoming invasive. This study focuses on two such invasive helminths: the haematophagous abomasal nematode Ashworthius sidemi and the giant liver fluke Fascioloides magna, with the primary objective of assessing their prevalence in wild ruminants across the Czech Republic and evaluating their potential ecological impact. A total of 983 fecal samples from red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama), and mouflon (Ovis musimon) were analyzed using multiplex real-time PCR assays targeting ribosomal DNA (rDNA) regions of six helminth taxa: A. sidemi, Haemonchus spp., F. magna, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Fasciola hepatica, and Calicophoron daubneyi. The invasive nematode A. sidemi was the most prevalent species, detected in 15.8% of samples, with the highest infection rate in red deer (30.7%), while Haemonchus spp. were identified in 14.9% of samples, particularly in roe deer (23.2%). In contrast, trematode infections were less frequent, with F. magna and D. dendriticum each found in 1.5% of samples, and C. daubneyi in only 0.2%. Spatial analysis highlighted the extensive distribution of A. sidemi and Haemonchus spp. across nearly all regions. This study represents the first comprehensive molecular surveillance of helminths in wild ruminants across the Czech Republic, identifying potential infection hotspots and emphasizing the need for targeted health management strategies to mitigate the impacts of helminthiasis, particularly concerning invasive species.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

40301 - Veterinary science

Project

<a href="/en/project/QL24010306" target="_blank" >QL24010306: Sustainable parasite control in small ruminants corresponding to the One Health concept</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů