Risk factors of gastrointestinal parasites lungworms ticks and lice in donkeys in the Asinara national park (Sardinia, Italy)

From June to November 2015 a total of 113 Asinara donkeys (41 albino, 72 coloured) were sampled (91 fecal samples from 36 albino and 55 grey donkeys). All donkeys were surveyed for ticks and lice. Sedimentation, Baermann and modified McMaster methods were performed for endoparasites. The EPG/OPG were calculated. Larval cultures were performed and L3 were recovered by a Baermann technique. Ectoparasites were morp olo lly nt f T nf t on‘s t ks l v l w r r or f n n 3 t or s: no infestation, low (1-10 ticks) and high infestation (>10 ticks). Three land cover types were defined to estimate the risk: sparse vegetation; mediterranean shrubland; grassland. Statistical analysis were performed through GLM with a ordinal logistic regression (SPSS 20.0, Chicago, IL). Ninety out of ninety-one donkeys were infected by intestinal strongyles (98.9%), Strongyloides (6.6%), Parascaris equorum (15.4%), Oxyuris equi (2.2%) and Eimeria leukarti (2.2%). No eggs of cestodes and trematodes were found. Dictyocaulus arnfieldi L1 were found in 46.1% of samples. Fecal pools were positive for Cyathostominae (61%), large strongyles (30%) and Trichostrongylus axei (9%) L3. Strongyles showed the highest egg excretion (mean abundance=1176.4 EPG; min-max=0-4575 EPG). Significant risk factors associated to strongyle infection (EPG) were: season;geographical distribution of herds and the land cover types. Egg shedding was 10.887 times higher in autumn than in summer and 2.865 times higher in donkeys from the North than those in the rest of the island. Donkeys from spare vegetation areas shed more eggs than other animals (OR=2.507). Albino and young donkeys were more at risk for P. equorum than coloured and old donkeys (OR=4.289 and OR=0.978 respectively). D. arnfieldi larvae shedding was higher in autumn than in summer (OR=5.577). Haemaphysalis punctata (46.2%), Hyalomma marginatum (10.7%) and Rhipicephalus bursa (43.1%) were found. A total of 58.4% (66/113) of donkeys were infested by ticks (28.3% albino; 30.1% coloured). The prevalence was 78% (32/41) and 47% (34/72) respectively in albino and coloured donkeys. Albino donkeys group had the highest percentage with high infestation (39% vs 15%; OR=2.865; P=0.021). The highest p r nt of onk ys w t no t ks 57 77% w r from l n w t ―sp rs v t t on‖ and had a low number of ticks (OR=0.185; P=0,001) than donkeys from other areas. Haematopinus asini were found on nine donkeys (8%), 8 albino and 1 coloured (OR=17.212, 95% CI 2.067-143,321, P= 0.009). Significant risks to tick infestation were associated to the colour of coat and the types of land cover. Albino donkeys show a 3.120 times higher risk than coloured donkeys to be infected by ticks. Donkeys from areas with sparse vegetation cover showed a lower risk to be infected by ticks (OR=0.227). 1. Garippa G, Sanna E, 1990. Ixodidi di frequente riscontro nei mammiferi dell'Asinara. Parassitol 32 (suppl. 1), 7-8 2. Pinna W, Vacca GM, Cubeddu G, Pintori G, Garippa G, 1994. Salvaguardia degli asinelli bianchi dell'Asinara: ri sultati di unintervento di controllo delle parassitosi. Ric. Biol. Selv. 24: 105-110