Original scientific paper
Do wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) have a role in the epidemiology of fascioloidosis?
Dean Konjević
orcid.org/0000-0002-8584-9825
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Zdravko Janicki
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Miljenko Bujanić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Milan Oršanić
; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Alen Slavica
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Magda Sindičić
orcid.org/0000-0002-1391-3648
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Franjo Martinković
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Fascioloidosis is a parasitic disease caused by the trematode Fascioloides magna. In its life cycle F.
magna uses water snails as intermediate hosts and definitive hosts, which can further be differentiated
as final, aberrant and dead-end hosts. In this research we have analysed the role of a dead-end host (wild boar) in maintaining and spreading fascioloidosis, compared with the final host (red deer). In total, 13 livers and faecal samples of wild boar, and 23 livers and faecal samples of red deer were analysed. Livers were selected based on positive parasitological findings. F. magna eggs were detected in 20 (P=86.95%) samples of red deer faeces, but in none of the wild boar faeces. If this is compared, the odds ratio for wild boar is OR = 0.0068 (CI 95% 0.0003 – 0.1436), which actually indicates the protective effect of wild boar. The mirole of wild boar in the epidemiology of fascioloidosis has never been debated before. Despite the fact that wild boar could serve as mechanical vectors of F. magna eggs, undoubtedly they have a role in removing a certain number of metacercariae from the environment. In other words, after wild boar consume the metacercariae, future flukes are actually removed from the further cycle. This leads us to the conclusion that wild boar have a certain, positive effect on natural control of F. magna albeit to a minor degree. Further research should be oriented toward monitoring the evolution of host-parasite interactions to determine the potential role of wild boar in the epidemiology of fascioloidosis.
Keywords
fascioloidosis; wild boar; red deer; epidemiology
Hrčak ID:
229433
URI
Publication date:
1.10.2019.
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