Veterinary parasitology

Veterinary parasitology is the study of animal parasites, especially relationships between parasites and animal hosts, and their interactions. Parasites of domestic animals (livestock and pet animals) as well as wildlife animals are considered. Veterinary parasitology studies genesis and development of parasitoses in animal host. Veterinary parasitology also studies taxonomy and systematics of parasites, morphology, life cycles, and living needs of parasites in environment and in animal host. Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of animal parasitoses are designed using procured observations. Data obtained from parasitological research in animals helps in veterinary practice and improve animal breeding. Major goal of veterinary parasitology is to protect animals and improve their health status. Moreover, a number of animal parasites are transmitted to humans. Therefore, veterinary parasitology is also important for public health.^[1][2]

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Diagnostic methods

A number various methods are used to identify and to diagnose parasites in animals:^[2]

• Coprological examination
  • Flotation
  • Sedimentation
  • McMaster method
  • Baermann method
• Haematology
  • Bloodsmear and Giemsa-stain
  • Diff-Quick
  • QBC
• Skin scraping
• Immunological methods
  • Indirect immunofluorescence
  • ELISA
  • Immunoblotting (Western blot)
  • Complement fixation test
• Molecular biological methods
  • PCR
  • RFLP-PCR

Divisions of Veterinary Parasitology

Veterinary Protozoology

• focused on veterinary important protozoans

Examples of protozoan parasites:

• Trypanosoma brucei
• Trypanosoma equiperdum
• Leishmania donovani
• Leishmania infantum
• Giardia duodenalis
• Trichomonas gallinae
• Tritrichomonas foetus
• Histomonas meleagridis
• Cryptosporidium parvum
• Balantidium coli
• Eimeria acervulina
• Eimeria tenella
• Isospora canis
• Toxoplasma gondii
• Neospora caninum
• Hammondia hammondi
• Besnoitia besnoiti
• Babesia divergens

Veterinary Helminthology

• focused on veterinary important helminth parasites

Examples of helminth parasites:

• Fasciola hepatica
• Fascioloides magna
• Dicrocoelium dendriticum
• Schistosoma bovis
• Trichobilharzia regenti
• Paragonimus westermani
• Dipylidium caninum
• Taenia pisiformis
• Taenia saginata
• Taenia solium
• Echinococcus granulosus
• Dictyocaulus bovis
• Muellerius capillaris
• Haemonchus contortus
• Teladorsagia ostertagi
• Strongyloides canis
• Ancylostoma duodenale
• Trichuris suis
• Syngamus trachea
• Ascaris suum
• Toxocara canis
• Strongylus vulgaris
• Metastrongylus
• Trichinella spiralis

Veterinary Entomology (Arachnoentomology)

• focused on veterinary important Arachnids and Insects

Examples of arachnid and insect parasites:

• Sarcoptes equi
• Psoroptes ovis
• Ixodes ricinus
• Dermacentor marginatus
• Cimex colombarius.
• Cimex lectularius
• Culex pipiens
• Culicoides imicola
• Demodex bovis
• Gasterophilus intestinalis
• Haematobia irritans
• Hypoderma bovis
• Knemidocoptes mutans
• Lucilia sericata
• Musca domestica
• Nosema apis
• Notoedres cati
• Oestrus ovis
• Otodectes cynotis
• Phlebotomus
• Pulex irritans
• Sarcophaga carnaria
• Tabanus atratus
• Triatoma
• Ctenocephalides canis
• Ctenocephalides felis

References