Helminth fauna of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Estonia

Thirty-seven carcasses of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) collected and examined in Estonia during 1999-2001 had helminths. Parasites identified and their prevalence included Diphyllobothrium latum (5%), Taenia pisiformis (100%), Taenia laticollis (41%), Taenia hydatigena (3%), Taenia taeniaeformis (3%), Toxocara cati (68%), and Trichinella spp. (22%). The only significant relationships (P < or = 0.05) between occurrence of helminths and host age and sex were a greater number of T. pisiformis and T. laticollis in older than in youger male lynx, and older males had a greater number of species of helminth than did younger lynx. Sixty-one fecal samples collected during snow tracking of nine lynx were examined; eggs of T. cati were identified in 38 samples, and Capillaria spp were found in eight samples. This is the first systematic investigation of parasites of lynx in Estonia.     

Descriptive epidemiology of intestinal helminth parasites from stray cat populations in Qatar

A total of 488 stray cats, 212 adult and 29 juvenile females plus 235 adult and 12 juvenile males, were examined post-mortem during the winter and summer months of 2006 from five sites in the vicinity of Doha and its outskirts. Five helminths, comprising three nematode and two cestode species were identified and the majority of cats harboured two of these species. The most prevalent was the cestode Taenia taeniaeformis (75.8%), followed by the cestode Diplopylidium sp. (42.8%), and the nematodes Ancylostoma tubaeforme (17.0%), Physaloptera sp. (6.6%) and Toxocara cati (0.8%). All five species were found to be typically overdispersed in their distribution. Using univariate and multivariate analyses, the prevalence and abundance of infections were primarily influenced by host gender and season, with females tending to harbour higher levels of infection during the summer. No significant differences were found relative to site except in the case of Physaloptera sp. Using bivariate Pearson product moment correlations, significant positive co-occurrences were identified between Diplopylidium sp. and T. taeniaeformis and also between A. tubaeforme and T. taeniaeformis. The results are discussed in relation to the effect of environmental conditions on the intestinal helminth infracommunities and their possible interactions in stray cat populations from such a harsh and arid region as Qatar.     

Helminths in the wolf, Canis lupus, from north-western Spain

Fifteen helminth species were collected from 47 wolves (Canis lupus ) which were surveyed from 1993 to 1999 in northwestern Spain. These included the trematode Alaria alata (2.1%); the cestodes Taenia hydatigena (44.7%), T. multiceps (29.8%), T. serialis (2.1%), Dipylidium caninum (6.4%) and Mesocestoides sp. aff. litteratus (4.2%); and the nematodes Pearsonema plica (7.4%), Trichuris vulpis (10.6%), Trichinella britovi (12.8%), Ancylostoma caninum (8.5%), Uncinaria stenocephala (51.1%), Toxocara canis (6.4%) Toxascaris leonina (4.2%), Angiostrongylus vasorum (2.1%) and Dirofilaria immitis (2.1%). Only two wolves were not infected. A single infection occurred in 28.9% of the cases, but the commonest infracommunity (31.1%) involved three species. The helminths Alaria alata, Taenia hydatigena, Mesocestoides sp. aff. litteratus, P. plica, Trichuris vulpis, and Ancylostoma caninum parasitizing C. lupus are reported for the first time in Spain. Taenia serialis and D. immitis are reported for the first time in wolves in Europe. Angiostrongylus vasorum represents a new host record for wolves. The helminth fauna of Spanish wolves is compared with that of other European wolf populations. Some epidemiological considerations of the helminth fauna of wolves in Spain and the health risk to humans are also discussed.     

Helminthologic survey of the wolf (Canis lupus) in Estonia, with an emphasis on Echinococcus granulosus

Carcasses of 26 wolves were collected during the 2000/2001 and 2003/2004 hunting seasons and examined for helminths. Thirteen helminth species were recorded: one trematode (Alaria alata), seven cestodes (Diphyllobothrium latum, Mesocestoides lineatus, Taenia hydatigena, Taenia multiceps, Taenia ovis, Taenia pisiformis, and Echinococcus granulosus), and five nematode species (Uncinaria stenocephala, Toxascaris leonina, Toxocara canis, Trichinella nativa, and Trichinella britovi). The most common species were A. alata and U. stenocephala. Mature Echinococcus granulosus was found and described for the first time in Estonia, and its identity verified using PCR-RFLP analysis. Sequencing a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA NADH dehydrogenase 1 (mtND1) gene showed that the E. granulosus strain from Estonia was identical to strain G10, recently characterized in reindeer and moose in Finland.     

Helminths of the ocelot from southern Texas

In the USA, the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a highly endangered felid found only in a few remaining vestiges of native thornshrub brushland in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of extreme southern Texas. From 1987-1998, carcasses of 15 adult ocelots that died of vehicular accidents or natural causes were examined for helminths. All cats had 1-8 (mean = 3) helminth species. All were infected with 1-101 (mean +/- SE = 32 +/- 7) Toxascaris leonina. Other helminths from these ocelots were Alaria marcianae, Brachylaima sp., Mesocestoides lineatus, Taenia rileyi, Oncicola canis, Dirofilaria immitis, Physaloptera rara, Ancylostoma tubaeformae, Cylicospirura chevreuxi, Vogeloides felis, and Metathelazia californica. Additionally, two cats had scarring of the aorta with lesions typical of those caused by Spriocerca lupi, although larval nematodes were not seen. A clinal variation in size of nearly three orders of magnitude was noted in the diplostomatid trematodes in the small intestine of one adult male ocelot. Despite the differences in size, all specimens appeared morphologically identical and were regarded as A. marcianae. Helminth prevalences and abundances, including those of potentially pathogenic species like D. immitis, were low. Although a single heartworm infection may have contributed to the death of one ocelot, helminth infections in general seemed to be of no great consequence to this endangered ocelot population. The helminth fauna of ocelots in the LRGV is reflective of that from wild felids in general; all have been reported previously from the bobcat (Lynx rufus) and mountain lion (Puma concolor) elsewhere in Texas.     

Gastrointestinal parasitic fauna of cats in the cities of Bologna, Florence and Milan

The results of a parasitological survey carried out on 116 cats found dead in Bologna, Firenze and Milano was reported. The parasites identified were: Toxocara cati (49.1%); Toxascaris leonina (3.4%); Ancylostoma tubaeforme (9.5%); Ollulanus tricuspis (3.4%); Dipylidium caninum (41.4%); Taenia taeniaeformis (11.2%); Mesocestoides lineatus (1.7%); Spirometra sp. (0.9%); Coccidia (12.9%). The autopsies' results were compared with coprological ones in order to assess their reliability.     

Helminths of the raccoon (Procyon lotor) in western Kentucky

Seventy raccoons (Procyon lotor) from western Kentucky were examined for helminths from December 1985 through May 1986. Twenty-three species of helminths were collected including 10 species of Trematoda (Brachylaima virginiana, Euryhelmis squamula, Eurytrema procyonis, Fibricola cratera, Gyrosoma singulare, Maritreminoides nettae, Mesostephanus appendiculatoides, Metagonimoides oregonensis, Paragonimus kellicotti, Pharyngostomoides procyonis), 2 species of Cestoda (Atriotaenia procyonis, Mesocestoides variabilis), 10 species of Nematoda (Arthrocephalus lotoris, Baylisascaris procyonis, Capillaria putorii, C. plica, Crenosoma goblei, Dracunculus insignis, Gnathostoma procyonis, Molineus barbatus, Physaloptera rara, Trichinella spiralis), and 1 species of Acanthocephala (Macracanthorhynchus ingens). A mean of 6.4 (3-11) helminth species per host was recorded. Fibricola cratera, Atriotaenia procyonis, Mesocestoides variabilis, Arthrocephalus lotoris, Capillaria plica, Dracunculus insignis, Molineus barbatus, and Physaloptera rara were ubiquitous parasites of the raccoon, whereas specific nidi were observed for Eurytrema procyonis, Gyrosoma singulare, Paragonimus kellicotti, Baylisascaris procyonis, Trichinella spiralis, and Macracanthorhyncus ingens. With an overall prevalence of 10% or higher, 15 of the 23 helminth species were considered common parasites of the raccoon in western Kentucky. When the 10% prevalence rate was applied within geographical quadrants to correct for the presence of nidi it was found that 18 of the 23 helminth species were common and 5 were regarded as rare parasites of the raccoon. Two species of nematodes, T. spiralis and B. procyonis, displayed a markedly higher prevalence in male raccoons.     

Helminths of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Lithuania

Red foxes and raccoon dogs are hosts for a wide range of parasites including important zoonotic helminths. The raccoon dog has recently invaded into Europe from the east. The contribution of this exotic species to the epidemiology of parasitic diseases, particularly parasitic zoonoses is unknown. The helminth fauna and the abundance of helminth infections were determined in 310 carcasses of hunted red foxes and 99 of raccoon dogs from Lithuania. Both species were highly infected with Alaria alata (94·8% and 96·5% respectively) and Trichinella spp. (46·6% and 29·3%). High and significantly different prevalences in foxes and raccoon dogs were found for Eucoleus aerophilus (97·1% and 30·2% respectively), Crenosoma vulpis (53·8% and 15·1%), Capillaria plica (93·3% and 11·3%), C. putorii (29·4% and 51·5%), Toxocara canis (40·5% and 17·6%) and Uncinaria stenocephala (76·9% and 98·8%). The prevalences of the rodent-transmitted cestodes Echinococcus multilocularis, Taenia polyacantha, T. crassiceps and Mesocestoides spp. were significantly higher in foxes than in raccoon dogs. The abundances of E. multilocularis, Mesocestoides, Taenia, C. plica and E. aerophilus were higher in foxes than those in raccoon dogs. A. alata, U. stenocephala, C. putorii and Echinostomatidae had higher abundances in raccoon dogs. The difference in prevalence and abundance of helminths in both animals may reflect differences in host ecology and susceptibility. The data are consistent with red foxes playing a more important role than raccoon dogs in the transmission of E. multilocularis in Lithuania.     

Characterization of the carcinoma-associated Tk antigen in helminth parasites

Expression of Tk antigen, a truncated carbohydrate antigen, was examined in helmith parasites. Using the monoclonal antibody LM389, this antigen was detected in extracts from Taenia hydatigena, Mesocestoides vogae (syn corti), and Taenia crassiceps. No reactivity was observed in Thysanosoma spp., Dipylidium caninum, Fasciola hepatica, and Nyppostrongylus brasiliensis. On the basis of their electrophoretic mobility, different patterns of Tk-bearing glycoproteins were observed among T. hydatigena, M. corti and T. crassiceps by immunoblotting, with certain components resolved as broad bands typical of mucin-like glycoproteins. Most Tk-reactive material remained in the 0.6 N perchloric acid-soluble fraction, confirming that Tk epitopes are carried by mucin-type glycoproteins. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that in T. hydatigena, Tk antigen is mainly expressed in the tegument, whereas in M. corti the reactivity was principally observed in the subtegumental parenchyma. The presence of a novel tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen in invertebrates, contributes to strengthen the notion that truncated mucin-type O-glycosylation is a normal phenomenon in parasitic worms and may help identify new biological characteristics of helminth parasites.     

A survey study on gastrointestinal parasites of stray cats in northern region of Nile delta, Egypt

A survey study on gastrointestinal parasites in 113 faecal samples from stray cats collected randomly from Kafrelsheikh province, northern region of Nile delta of Egypt; was conducted in the period between January and May 2010. The overall prevalence was 91%. The results of this study reported seven helminth species: Toxocara cati (9%), Ancylostoma tubaeforme (4%), Toxascaris leonina (5%), Dipylidium caninum (5%), Capillaria spp. (3%), Taenia taeniformis (22%) and Heterophyes heterophyes (3%), four protozoal species: Toxoplasma gondii (9%), Sarcocyst spp. (1%), Isospora spp. (2%) and Giardia spp. (2%) and two arthropod species; Linguatula serrata (2%) and mites eggs (13%). The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites may continue to rise due to lack of functional veterinary clinics for cat care in Egypt. Therefore, there is a need to plan adequate control programs to diagnose, treat and control gastrointestinal parasites of companion as well as stray cats in the region.     

Effect of short-term coyote removal on populations of coyote helminths

Coyote (Canis latrans) removal programs often are initiated despite the potential population regulatory mechanism of parasitism with increased coyote density. We investigated the effect of intensive, short-term coyote removal on population levels of helminths in juvenile and adult coyotes from western Texas. Coyotes were killed by aerial gunning every 3 mo for 2 yr on two 5,000 ha areas, which reduced the overall coyote density of these areas by about 50%. Two other 5,000 ha areas were used as comparison sites where a limited number of coyotes were killed each season. Densities on comparison sites remained stable throughout the study at a mean +/- 1 SE of 0.14 +/- 0.01 coyotes/km2. Twelve helminth species consisting of seven nematodes (Ancylostoma caninum, Physaloptera rara, Toxascaris leonina, Dirofilaria immitis, Spirocerca lupi, Oslerus osleri, and Capillaria aerophila), three cestodes (Taenia pisiformis, Taenia multiceps, and Mesocestoides sp.), one acanthocephalan (Oncicola canis), and one trematode (Alaria marcianae) were found in 252 coyotes. Of these, A. caninum, P. rara, T. multiceps, T. pisiformis, T. leonina, and S. lupi were common species. Rank-transformed values for the mean abundances of A. caninum and T. multiceps and A. caninum, T. multiceps, and S. lupi were reduced in juvenile and adult coyotes, respectively, from the removal sites compared to respective helminth abundances in similar age class coyotes from comparison sites. Because A. caninum has been suggested as a population regulator of coyotes, a coyote removal program that results in a reduced density of coyotes and at the same time causes a reduced abundance of A. caninum, may in fact negate the regulatory effect that A. caninum has on coyote populations.     

Helminth parasitism in the coyote, Canis latrans, from the Rolling Plains of Texas

Eighteen helminth species were recovered from 150 coyotes necropsied in West Texas: 2 trematodes, Alaria marcianae (12% of hosts infected) and Alaria sp. (0.6%); 3 cestodes, Taenia pisiformis (39%), T. serialis (4%) and Mesocestoides corti (58%); 2 acanthocephalans, Oncicola canis (26%) and Pachysentis canicola (23%); and 11 nematodes, Physaloptera rara (60%), Pterygondermatites cahirensis (37%), Spirocerca lupi (83%), Subulura s.p. (1.3%), Filaroides osleri (28%), Ancylostoma caninum (87%), Toxascaris leonina (89%), Dermatoxys veligera (1.3%), Syphacia sp. (0.6%), Dirofilaria immitis (0.6%), and Trichuris sp. (0.6%). All hosts were infected with from 1 to 10 helminth species (-x = 5.5 species). Simpson's index was very low (0.12) indicating a diverse helminth fauna. The helminth fauna of West Texas coyotes demonstrated only low similarity with those from other geographic regions in North America. Significant positive relationships were found between pairs of prevalent helminth species in terms of frequency of occurrence. Comparison of mean levels of infection between pairs of helminth species indicated 6 significant relationships. A clumped distribution was indicated in those helminths utilizing arthropod intermediate hosts or paratenic hosts. Analysis of prevalence of helminth species in terms of host sex by frequency of occurrence and mean levels of infection revealed only one significant relationship; T. leonina occurred more frequently in females than males. Similar analysis of age relationships ( ? 1 year and ? 2 years) and helminth parasitism indicated P. rara occurred more frequently in older animals while A. caninum and P. cahirensis occurred more frequently and with higher levels of infection in younger animals. The results of these findings are discussed in terms of food niche and behavioral aspects of this host from the Rolling Plains of Texas.     

Helminth parasites of cats from the Vientiane province, Laos, as indicators of the occurrence of causative agents of human parasitoses

A total of 55 domestic cats (Felis catus f. domestica) and one wild (Bengal) cat (Prionaluirus bengalensis) from the Vientiane Province, central Laos, were examined for helminth parasites with emphasis given to potential human parasites. The following species were found (parasites infective to man marked with an asterisk): Opisthorchis viverrini, Haplorchis pumilio, H. taichui, H. yokogawai, Stellantchasmus falcatus (Digenea); Spirometra sp., Dipylidium caninum, Taenia taeniaeformis (Cestoda); Capillariidae gen. sp., Toxocara canis, T. cali, Ancylostoma ceylanicum, A. tubaeforme, Gnathostoma spinigerum, Physaloptera preputialis (Nematoda); and Oncicola sp. (Acanthocephala). This study demonstrated that examination of cats may provide useful data on the occurrence of helminths which are potential causative agents of human diseases.     

Population dynamics across selected habitat variables of the helminth community in coyotes, Canis latrans, from south Texas

The effects of selected intrinsic variables operating on host subpopulations and of extrinsic variables across the collective host population on the distributions of 10 common helminth species from coyotes in south Texas were compared. The intrinsic variables of host sex and presence and severity of sarcoptic mange had little effect on the distributions of most helminth species. The combined influences of (1) seasonal changes across the collective host population and (2) host subpopulations delineated by age were responsible for the overdispersed distributions of Oncicola canis, Physaloptera rara, and Protospirura numidica. Overdispersion in Ancylostoma caninum, Alaria marcianae, and Spirocerca lupi populations resulted almost exclusively from the heterogeneity of factors contributing to their rates of establishment, survival, and reproduction as generated across host age subpopulations. Aggregated abundances of A. caninum and A. marcianae occurred in young hosts, but were cumulative in older animals infected with S. lupi. The hypothesis that heterogeneity within the host population, rather than across the collective host population, is the main factor generating overdispersion in natural populations was confirmed for only 3 of 10 helminth species (A. caninum, A. marcianae, and S. lupi). The effects of extrinsic factors operating across the collective host population appeared to be equal to, or in some instances of greater importance than, these forces operating over host subpopulations in determining the dispersion patterns of some helminth species (O. canis, P. rara, and P. numidica). The distributions of Taenia pisiformis, Mesocestoides lineatus, Oslerus osleri, and Toxascaris leonina were not affected, or only minimally influenced, by these intrinsic or extrinsic variables. The effects of these habitat variables on dispersion patterns are highly correlated with the life cycle and mode of transmission of the respective helminth species.     

Helminth parasites of wild foxes (Vulpes vulpes L.) in The Netherlands

To study the helminth fauna of wild foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in The Netherlands, material was collected from 139 foxes. The following parasites were found. Cestodes: Taenia spp. 53.3%, Hymenolepis spp. 1.5%; Trematodes: Alaria alata 10.9%, Cryptocotyle lingua 3.6%, Euparyphium melis 1.5%, Apophallus donicus 0.7%; Nematodes: Toxocara canis 73.7%, Uncinaria stenocephala 59.9%, Capillaria aerophila 46.8%, C. plica 23.5%, Molineus patens 5.1%, Crenosoma vulpis 4.5%, Strongyloides spp. 0.7%. The tapeworms Mesocestoides spp. and Echinococcus spp. were not seen. No relationship was observed between worm burden and sex, time of year or place of origin.     

Differential release and phagocytosis of tegument glycoconjugates in neurocysticercosis: implications for immune evasion strategies

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is an infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by the metacestode of the helminth Taenia solium. The severity of the symptoms is associated with the intensity of the immune response. First, there is a long asymptomatic period where host immunity seems incapable of resolving the infection, followed by a chronic hypersensitivity reaction. Since little is known about the initial response to this infection, a murine model using the cestode Mesocestoides corti (syn. Mesocestoides vogae) was employed to analyze morphological changes in the parasite early in the infection. It was found that M. corti material is released from the tegument making close contact with the nervous tissue. These results were confirmed by infecting murine CNS with ex vivo-labeled parasites. Because more than 95% of NCC patients exhibit humoral responses against carbohydrate-based antigens, and the tegument is known to be rich in glycoconjugates (GCs), the expression of these types of molecules was analyzed in human, porcine, and murine NCC specimens. To determine the GCs present in the tegument, fluorochrome-labeled hydrazides as well as fluorochrome-labeled lectins with specificity to different carbohydrates were used. All the lectins utilized labeled the tegument. GCs bound by isolectinB4 were shed in the first days of infection and not resynthesized by the parasite, whereas GCs bound by wheat germ agglutinin and concavalinA were continuously released throughout the infectious process. GCs bound by these three lectins were taken up by host cells. Peanut lectin-binding GCs, in contrast, remained on the parasite and were not detected in host cells. The parasitic origin of the lectin-binding GCs found in host cells was confirmed using antibodies against T. solium and M. corti. We propose that both the rapid and persistent release of tegumental GCs plays a key role in the well-known immunomodulatory effects of helminths, including immune evasion and life-long inflammatory sequelae seen in many NCC patients.     

Gastrointestinal parasites of cougars (Felis concolor) in Washington and the first report of Ollulanus tricuspis in a sylvatic felid from North America.

Gastrointestinal helminths including two species of cestodes (Taenia omissa and T. ovis krabbei) and three species of nematodes (Toxocara cati, Cylicospirura subequalis and Ollulanus tricuspis) are reported from two free-ranging cougars (Felis concolor) in Washington (USA). Ollulanus tricuspis is reported for the first time from cougars and represents the first occurrence of this parasite in a sylvatic felid from North America.     

The IgE and IgG subclass responses of mice to four helminth parasites

To investigate whether the formation of IgE is linked in vivo to an IgG subclass, mice were infected with four helminth parasites, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Nbr), Mesocestoides corti, Taenia crassiceps and Trichinella spiralis, and the changes in the serum levels of the different Ig isotypes as well as the antibody response to M. corti and T. crassiceps antigen extracts were determined by radioimmunoassays. All four parasites induced a concomitant increase of the IgE and IgG1 serum levels and usually a decrease of the IgG2a level. They also induced an increase of the IgM level but had little effect on the IgG2b, IgG3, and IgA serum levels. The specific antibodies to an M. corti antigen extract were mainly of the IgG1 subclass, whereas it was of both IgG1 and IgG2a subclasses to T. crassiceps. Injections of dead M. corti induced an increase of all IgG subclasses and similar levels of IgG1 and IgG2a anti-parasite antibodies. Subcutaneous instead of intraperitoneal infection with T. crassiceps induced higher IgG2a than IgG1 levels and 10-fold lower IgE levels than the natural ip infection; however, despite the greater IgG2a polyclonal response, anti-parasite antibodies were predominantly of the IgG1 subclass. The data demonstrate that natural infection with four different helminth parasites induces a concomitant polyclonal IgG1 and IgE response. These in vivo observations corroborate the recent in vitro findings demonstrating that interleukin-4 induces lipopolysaccharide-activated murine B cells to secrete both IgG1 and IgE, suggesting that the regulation of these two isotypes is linked.     

Systematics of Mesocestoides (Cestoda: Mesocestoididae): evaluation of molecular and morphological variation among isolates

A hypothesis-based framework was used to test if 3 genetic strains of Mesocestoides (clades A, B, and C) are distinct evolutionary lineages, thereby supporting their delimitation as species. For comparative purposes, 3 established cestode species, Taenia pisiformis, Taenia serialis, and Taenia crassiceps were assessed using the same methods. Sequence data from mitochondrial rDNA (12S) and the second internal transcribed spacer of nuclear rDNA (ITS-2) revealed derived (autapomorphic) characters for lineages representing clade A (n = 6 autapomorphies), clade B (n = 4), and clade C (n = 9) as well as T. pisiformis (n = 15) and T. serialis (n = 12). Furthermore, multivariate analysis of morphological data revealed significant differences among the 3 genetic strains of Mesocestoides and between T. pisiformis and T. serialis. The level of phenotypic variation within evolutionary lineages of Mesocestoides and Taenia spp. tapeworms was similar. Results from this study support recognizing Mesocestoides clades A, B, and C as separate species, and provide evidence that clade B and Mesocestoides vogae are conspecific.     

Parasites present in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) of the province of Forli

In the period March 1983 - March 1984 a parasitological survey was carried out on 103 foxes killed in the Forli province (Italy). The parasites identified were: Toxocara canis (45.6%); Uncinaria stenocephala (14.6%); Mesocestoides lineatus (9.7%); Dipylidium caninum (2.9%); Taenia crassiceps (2.9%); Trichuris vulpis (2.9%). Out of all the cestodes found in 7 animals the authors identified only genus Taenia since their preservation conditions were not optimal. Other 13 subjects contained many cestodes similar to T. hydatigena, but considerably shorter in the mean length (20 cm vs 200). In a fecal sample the authors found a species of coccidium whose features do not correspond to any of those described in foxes, therefore it was called Eimeria sp. Finally, the autopsies' results were compared with coprological ones in order to asses their reliability.