| Summary: | Parasitic diseases constitute one of the major problems causing mortality in captive
Bovidae. Thus a study on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was investigated from
various species of animals from the Bovidae family housed at Zoo Negara Malaysia. A
total of 14 pooled fecal samples were collected randomly from 8 species from 5 genus
which are Bos (6), Hippotraginae (2), Tragelaphus (2), Oryx (2), and Kobus (2). All
samples were examined by direct wet mount preparation, formalin ethyl acetate
concentration technique and permanent stains which are trichriome and giemsa. Intestinal
parasites that were found in all species were Strongylids (21.4%), Moniezia sp. (14.9%),
Capillaria sp. (7.1%), Cryptosporidium spp. (7.1%) and Entamoeba sp. (7.1%). All samples that were positive for
helminths or protozoa were asymptomatic animals with low parasitic loads. Monitoring the
gastrointestinal parasite of wild Bovidae in captivity is imperative in assisting zoo
management in the formulation and implementation of preventive and control measures
against the spread of infectious parasitic diseases among these animals within the zoo or to humans.
|
|---|