A survey on the prevalence of strongyles species in working donkeys in North-West of Iran

Faecal samples for detection of gastrointestinal parasites were collected from 60 donkeys from 6 villages in Marand, North-West of Iran. Faecal samples of 2 donkeys (3.33 %) were negative for parasite eggs. 48 positive donkeys (81.66 %) were infected with a single parasite type, 9 (15.51 %) and 1 (1.66 %) of donkeys had multiple infections with two and three parasites, respectively. The highest prevalence and intensity rate belonged to small strongyles. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites eggs in the positive donkeys were: strongyles 100 %, Parascaris equorum (15.51 %), Habronema spp. 1.72 %. Larval identification showed that small strongyle larvae were most frequent (100 %) followed by Strongylus edentatus (5.17 %), S. equinus (35.71 %) and S. vulgaris (26.66 %). This study revealed that donkeys in Iran are infected with a range of helminths, which are representatives of the important pathogenic parasites found in equids worldwide.