Translation from Russian
Manuscript copyright
Samoylovskaya
Nina Alexandrovna
ECOLOGICAL AND EPIZOOTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF PARASITIC DISEASES OF WILD RUMINANTS ON NATURAL AREAS OF PREFERENTIAL PROTECTION
(Evidence from Losiny Ostrov national park )
Area of expertise 03.00.11- parasitology
Abstract of a Cand. Sc. (Biology) thesis
Moscow – 2010
The work executed State Scientific Institution “K.I. Skryabin All-Russian Institute of Helminthology” Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Scientific supervisor Doctor of Biological Sciences
Gorokhov Vladimir Vasilyevich
Official opponents:
Leading organization:
The defense of a thesis will take place “….” …………..2010 at o’clock at the meeting of council on defense of candidate’s and doctoral theses
Д 006.011.01 State Scientific Institution “K.I. Skryabin All-Russian Institute of Helminthology” (VIGIS)
Adress: 28 B. Cheremushkinskaya Str., Moscow, 117218
The thesis can be read at the VIGIS library
The abstract is available at the official web-site of SSI VIGIS of Russian Agricultural Academy http://www.gnuvigis.nxt.ru
The abstract was sent out “…” ………….2010
Academic secretary of the council on defense of candidate’s
and doctoral theses,
Doctor of Biological Sciences V.K.Berezhko
Introduction
Significance of the subject
The issues of environmental protection, of reasonable use and restoration of natural resources and animals are treated with special attention worldwide.
Long-term observations of ecosystems in general and their components in particular is major field in scientific research in natural areas of preferential protection (NAPP). Regular observations enable to reveal changes at early stages when it is still possible to prevent their negative consequences.
One of important aspect of this issue is preservation of wild animals, increase of their populations and enrichment of species.
It is known that wild ruminants are prone to various parasitic diseases which often has lethal outcome or results in their losing valuable trade qualities and that causes significant economic loses and lowers the prestige of national and reservation parks. This fact was confirmed by research carried out by Rykovskiy A.S. (1957, 1959, 1979, 1984), Maklakova L.P. (1979, 1981, 1984, 2008), Gagarina V.G. and Nazarova N.S. (1965), Anisimova E.I. (1987), Starodynova A.K.(1974, 1979), Fertikova V.I., Sonina M.D., Yegorova A.N. (1999), Dróżdż J., Demiaszkiewicz A.W., Lachowicz J. (1989, 1992, 1993,1994,2000) and others.
Despite the fact that adult animals can be less infected then youngsters, they are an important source of invasion spread and cause epizootic disease. In case of widespread parasitic diseases there is a threat of transmission of invasion from wild animals to domestic animals and humans.
Aims and objectives of the research.
For many years there has been an animal cencus carried out on the territory of national park “Losiniy Ostrov”(literally- “Elk Island”). Though, parasitic diseases of wild animals have never been monitored before. Despite die off of wild ruminants (elk and sika deer) during the whole period of the park organization the cases of the die off from parasitic disease were not found.
The main objectives of ecological and epizootological analysis of parasitic diseases of wild ruminants were the following:
1. To study the ecological and geographical features of Losiny Ostrov park.
2. To study the epizootological situation in terms of parasitic diseases of wild ruminants of the park:
- to study the parasites’ fauna and make aspects of biology of these species in the park more specific.
- to determine the distribution, abundance dynamics of certain parasites species of elk and sika deer.
- to study the distribution of parasites’ larvae using the example of Protostrongylidae (Varestrongylus in elk and Mullerius in sika deer), their intermediate and final host along biotopes.
3. To work out recommendations on organization of monitoring of parasitic diseases in wild ruminants (elk, sika deer) in Losiny Ostrov national park.
Academic novelty
For the first time fauna of parasites in wild ruminants in Losiny Ostrov national park was studied and determined.
It was discovered that elk had 17 species of helminths, including: 2 species of trematodes, 3 species of cestodes, 12 species of nematodes.
It was discovered that sika deer had 15 species of helminths, including: 1 species of trematodes, 2 species of cestodes, 12 species of nematodes.
Besides the helminths in elks and sika deer of the national park there were found protozoans – Eimeria bovis, E. ellipsoidalis, E.spp., for the first time a calf of 5 to 9 days old was discovered to have a species of coccidium – Cryptosporidium parvum.
It was discovered that the elks and sika deer of Losiny Ostrov were affected by ixodic tick – Ixodes persulcatus and Dermacentor reticulatus.
Information was collected on habitat versatility of final hosts of Losiny Ostrov forest area and there were made studies of species, abundance and degree of infection of molluskas by Protostrongylus (Varestrongylus and Mullerius).
Practical relevance
The results of the research contribute significantly to the study of epizootic situation in terms of parasitic diseases of wild ruminants in Losiny Ostrov national park.
On the base of the research data “The guidelines on arrangement of monitoring of parasitic diseases of wild ruminants (elk, sika deer, boar) in Losiny Ostrov national park, were worked out approved by the meeting “Invasive Animal Diseases” of the Veterinary medicine unit at Russian Academy of Agriculture (protocol No 3 dated 25.09.2008).
Approval of work
Thesis materials were presented and discussed at:
1. Unified session and alignment meeting on the veterinary parasitology of the Main board of RAS Helminthologists’ Society and meeting “Invasive animal diseases” of Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Moscow, February 26-28, 2008)
2. Scientific seminars of RAS All-Russian Helminthologists’ Society “Theory and practice of fighting parasitic diseases” (Moscow, May 27-29, 2008 and May 22-24, 2009);
3. Academic and research VI international conference “Human, animal and plant parasitic diseases” (Vitebsk, September 25-26, 2008)
4. International scientific conference dedicated to the 130th anniversary of Academy member K.I.Skryabin “Biological diversity and ecology of terrestrial and water cenosis” (Moscow, December 9-11, 2008)
5. Scientific conference dedicated to the 25th anniversary of national park “Losiniy Ostrov”(Moscow, September 19-20, 2008)
6. Scientific conference nature-historical reserve of forestry establishment “Gorki” of Leninsky district of Moscow region (Moscow region September 28-30, 2009);
7. Meetings of the academic board of K.I. Skryabin All-soviet Institute for Helminthology (2007-2009)
8. Meeting “Invasive animaldiseases” of veterinary department of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (protocol No 3 dated 25.09.2008)
Personal input of the researcher
The presented thesis is a result of 4 years of scientific research carried out by the author. Ecological and epizootic analysis of parasitic diseases of wild ruminants of the Losiny Ostrov national park was personally made by the author.
The work was done under the scientific advising of doctor of biological sciences, Professor V.V. Gorokhov, who rendered methodological assistance in the research, analysis of the information obtained and generalization of the given research work.
Main provisions brought to defense
1. Results of studying the rate of infection by parasites of wild ruminants (elks, sika deer) in present-day conditions of the Losiny Ostrov national park
2. Distribution of species of helminths using the example of Protostrongylus (Varestrongylus in elks and Mullerius in sika deer) in host population (wild ruminants) depending on season.
3. To determine the role of various ecological factors in invasion circulation.
4. To evaluate the forest area in terms of its danger of Protostrongylus infection in elks and sika deer in conditions of Losiny Ostrov national park.
Publications
The materials of the thesis are presented on 135 pages of computer type. They consist of introduction, literature review, and section of personal research that includes: materials and methods and results of the research, its discussion, conclusions, practical suggestions, list of references and supplements. The list of references consists of 138 sources of which 97 are by Russian authors and 41 by foreign authors. The paper has been illustrated with 21 tables and 43 pictures.
Chapter 1. Literature review.
The chapter presents the analysis of literature by Russian and foreign researchers on the ecological and biological features of wild ruminants on natural areas of preferential protection; on parasites fauna in elks and sika deer in conditions of national parks in Russia and other parts of the world.
It also gives the geographical aspect of Losiny Ostrov national park with information on the park’s physical and climatic and faunistic peculiarities as well as ecologic characteristics of wild ruminants habitat area and “focus” of the places of invasion.
Chapter II. Personal research.
2.1. Materials and methods
The work has been carried out in SSI “Skryabin All-Russian Institute of Helminthology” of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
The research on the subject of the thesis was done in 2006-2009 on the territory of Losiny Ostrov national park (further called Park) situated in the North-East of Moscow.
The study of environmental conditions of Losiny Ostrov national park and of the ecology of habitation of wild ruminants were based on personal observations and literature data.
The feeding grounds, watering points, migration paths of elks and sika deer were established by tracking method (Formozov A.N. 1989, Kaplanov L.G. 1948, Yurgenson P.B. 1961, 1963).
Wild ruminants population was assessed in the course of scientific-research work with the assistance of the Park team based on the results of winter-spring censuring on the track: a) winter censuring work –linear method and censuring on the extra nutrition grounds; b) spring censuring work – censuring of elks and sika deer by number of defecation.
Estimation of piles of excrements of elks and sika deer was made in accordance with: “Methodological guidelines on estimating population of hunting animals in forest fund of the Russian Federation 578 ONP and OHT (Department for National parks and Hunting farms) – order by Federal Forestry Service of Russia dated May 19, 1999, No111”.
In the national park Losiny Ostrov the routes were covered with total length of 18 km 600m. The space of transect line came to 93000 sq m. The total amount of piles of stool estimated is 1037, 413 of them are of elk and 624 of sika deer, 180 fecal samples were taken of every animal species.
Helminthological material was collected in forest-parks: Mytishchinsky, Losinopogonny, Alexeyevsky and Losinoostrovsky.
For the coprological examination there were excrements collected, it was established to which animal species they belonged, as well as their shape, amount, color, consistency, mechanical composition (Formozov 1989; Rukovskiy N.N.1988)
For the study of dynamics of emerging of Protostrongylidae larvae (Varestrongylus and Mullerius) by season and quarterly we examined excrements of animals from six area types of Park of summer and winter station of elks and sika deer during 2007-2009.
According to the Berman-Orlov method there were examined excrement samples of 3 grams taken from different parts of excremental pile of the animal.
Total number of examined elks and sika deer excrement samples is 1440.
The number of Protostrongylidae larvae in a gram of excrements (further referred to as g/e) was estimated with the counting cell of VIGIS (Skryabin All-Russian Institute of Helminthology).
Life-time diagnostics of parasitic diseases in elks and sika deer was carried out with various laboratory methods.
- Helminthoscopy was used to spot cestodes and nematodes. We used the method of consecutive irrigation with complete sampling of helminths and then did the microscopy with the binocular microscope МБС-9.
- Helminthoovoscopy was used for spotting the parasite eggs and oocysts.
In use was the sedimentation and flotation research methods:
a) standardized method of consecutive irrigation was applied for diagnostics of trematode infection (fasciolasis, parafasciolopsis, dicroceliosis).
b) Fulleborn’s method (1920) and Kalantaryan’s method (1938) were used for diagnostics of kinds of nematodosis (ascariasis, trichocephaliasis, strongyloidiasis etc.) and cestodiosis (monieziasis);
c) Breza’s method (1957) was used for diagnostics of helminth eggs (metastrongylus and trichuris) and protozoa oocysts (Eimeria).
Diagnostics of cryptosporidiosis was run together with professor V.F. Nikitin, VIGIS: there were made native and stamp-preparations which were Ziehl-Neelsen stained (V.F. Nikitin 2007). For indicating protozoa we used monographies by V.L.Yakimova 1931, S.K. Svanbaeva 1977, I.I. Vershinina 1996, and Krylov indicator, 1996.
- Helmintho-larvaescopy was made with method of Berman – Orlov (1930, 1934) for spotting the Strongylata larvae – Dictyocaulus, Prostongylus, Mullerius, Varestrongylus, Trichostrongylus, etc.)
Use was made of monographs, indicators and atlases – K.I.Skryabin, I.V.Orlov 1934; S.M.Osadov 1960; E.E.Shumakovich 1968; A.A.Cherepanov A.S.Moskvitin 2001 and others.
For determining taxonomical status of the Strongylata larvae were grown in thermostat and their cultures were got with the help of “Zvezdochka” (star) device (V.F. Nikitin, I.Povlasek 1988).
Indicated Strongylata larvae with atlas (A.A.Cherepanov and co-authors, 2001) and works by P.A.Polyakov 1953, V.N. Trach, 1975 and other;
Counting of eggs/oocyst/larvae of parasites in a gram of excrements was made with the help of VIGIS counting cell (L.D.Migacheva, G.A.Kotelnikov. 1987).
Microscopy with simultaneous photographing of object in the made preparations was done with Axio Imager Z1 (Zeiss) and Primo star (Zeiss) microscopes.
Total number of examined excrement samples – 844, of which 374 were of elks, 396 of sika deer and 74 of female goats.
For determining of species composition of parasites and degree of infection by them of wild ruminants we examined corpses of fallen or compulsory slaughtered animals by methods of full and partial helminthological autopsy according K.I.Skryabin (1928).
Total number of dissected bodies is 21, of which 10 elks (aged from 3weeks to 3years); 10 sika deer (aged from 1 to 3years) and 1female goat (3year-old).
The picked helminths were preserved in alcohol (70ºC) or Barbagallo fluid. The “matrix” of the gastrointestinal tract contents was pored over with 4% formalin solution for long-term storage and further laboratorial inspection.
Helminthological evaluation of environment in park’s biotopes was conducted under the method of E.E.Shumakovich, 1973; G.A. Kotelnikova, 1974,1984, 1991; V.V.Gorokhova, 1974, 1986.
For helminthological evaluation of the biotopes of Mytishchinsky and Losinoostrovsky forest-parks of Losiny Ostrov in terms of their danger of Protostrongylus infection in wild ruminants we used works by L.P.Maklakova (1979).
There were collected and inspected mollusks – intermediate hosts of Prostongylus – in spring-summer-autumn periods 2008-2009.
To examine species composition and dynamics of degree of infection of mollusks by Prostongylus larvae there was collection in May, June, July, August, September and October.