PREVALENCE OF ENDOPARASITES IN HORSES AND DONKEYS IN TURKEY

The endoparasites of horses and donkeys of different ages from the Konya region in Turkey, between May 2003 and June 2005 were determined. The samples of fresh faeces were collected from 111 horses and 81 donkeys and sent to diagnostic laboratories for the examination by floatation, sedimentation, and Baermann-Wetzel methods. In addition, faecal cultures were prepared for the differentiation of larvae of Strongylidae. Parasites were encountered in 100% of horses and donkeys. Among the parasites determined in horses, the prevalence of Strongylidae, Parascaris equorum, Strongyloides westeri, Fasciola sp., Anoplocephalidae, Oxyuris equi, Trichuris sp., Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Eimeria leucarti, and Eimeria sp. was 100%, 10.81%, 7.2%, 3.6%, 2.7%, 1.8%, 0.9%, 0.9%, 4.5%, and 12.61%, respectively. In donkeys, the prevalence of Strongylidae, S. westeri, P. equorum, Fasciola sp., Anoplocephalidae, Oxyuris equi, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Eimeria leucarti, and other Eimeria sp. was 100%, 12.34%, 9.8%, 6.17%, 6.17%, 1.23%, 1.23%, 3.7%, and 22.22%, respectively. According to faecal cultures, the prevalence of Strongylus vulgaris, Strongylus edentatus, Trichonema sp., Triodontophorus sp., and Poteriostomum sp. was 31.53%, 17.11%, 58.55%, 6.3%, and 5.40% in horses, respectively, and 23.45%, 14.81%, 74.07%, 4.93%, and 2.46% in donkeys, respectively.