Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in wild mammals of a safari park and a zoo in Bangladesh

Sabrina Ferdous; Joya Chowdhury; Tanjila Hasan; Pronesh Dutta; Md Mizanur Rahman; Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan; Md Rayhan Faruque; Mohammad Abdul Alim

doi:10.1002/vms3.1093

Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in wild mammals of a safari park and a zoo in Bangladesh

Vet Med Sci. 2023 May;9(3):1385-1394. doi: 10.1002/vms3.1093. Epub 2023 Feb 6.

Authors

Sabrina Ferdous^{1

2}, Joya Chowdhury^{1

2}, Tanjila Hasan², Pronesh Dutta², Md Mizanur Rahman², Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan³, Md Rayhan Faruque², Mohammad Abdul Alim⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Courses, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Gono University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
² Department of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
³ Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
⁴ Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, Bangladesh.

Abstract

In safari parks and zoos, wild animals are kept mainly for recreational purposes. Animals in these enclosures are also crucial for the education, research, and conservation aspect. To ensure better management and good health of wild animals in captivity, it is essential to monitor the occurrence of gastrointestinal (GI) parasitic (helminths and protozoa) infections. The current investigation was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of GI parasitic infections in wild mammals at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib (BSM) safari park and Chattogram (CTG) zoo of Bangladesh. A total of 72 individual faecal samples were collected from 25 species of wild mammals. Routine qualitative (e.g. direct smear, sedimentation, and flotation) and quantitative (e.g. McMaster technique) tests were performed to identify the eggs or oocysts of helminths and protozoa. Results demonstrated that wild mammals of both BSM safari park and CTG zoo were infected with a total of 17 genera/species of helminths and protozoa. The overall prevalence of GI parasitic infections in wild mammals of both zoological parks was 65.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 53.14-76.12), whereas it was 72.4% (95% CI: 52.76-87.27) in the BSM safari park and 60.5% (95% CI: 44.41-75.02) in the CTG zoo. In both zoological parks, infection with nematodes was more frequent compared to other helminth into the wild mammals. The herbivores were more infected with GI parasites than carnivores and omnivores of both BSM safari park and CTG zoo. The mean eggs/oocysts per gram of faeces was the highest in the carnivores compared to herbivores and omnivores of both enclosures. The findings of the current study demonstrated that wild mammals of both BSM safari park and CTG zoo suffered from various GI parasitic infections. Regular monitoring along with proper therapeutic measures may reduce the severe consequences of GI parasitic infections in captive wild animals.

Keywords: Bangladesh; gastrointestinal parasitic infections; prevalence; safari park; wild mammals; zoo.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Animals, Wild
Bangladesh / epidemiology
Gastrointestinal Diseases* / parasitology
Gastrointestinal Diseases* / veterinary
Helminths*
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic* / epidemiology
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic* / parasitology
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic* / veterinary
Mammals / parasitology
Parasites*
Prevalence