Exchanged Communities of Abomasal Nematodes in Cervids with a First Report on in Red Deer.

Introduction: Among large wild game in Poland, the most numerous cervids are red deer and roe deer. Although these species live free, they should be under veterinary supervision because they can transmit infectious agents and parasites to livestock. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biodiversity of the abomasal nematodes which parasitise cervids and present the visual and dimensional characteristics of their spicules.

Material And Methods: Overall, 2,067 spicules of nematodes derived from nine red deer and five roe deer were measured and microphotographed in order to determine the species. The predominant was additionally confirmed molecularly by PCR. The spicule lengths of the most common species found in both hosts simultaneously were compared.

Results: Fourteen species of abomasal nematode were identified. All examined animals but one were infected. The most prevalent parasites in both host species were and . The alien was found in both hosts, whereas was identified only in red deer. was noted in red deer for the first time. A 262-base-pair nucleotide sequence of was obtained and deposited in GenBank. Significantly longer spicules were found in red deer-derived and and shorter structures were seen in .

Conclusion: The widespread exchange of abomasal nematodes between various ruminant species questions the relevance of their division into specialists and generalists.