| dc.description.abstract | Special nature reserve Koviljski rit is one of the rare remaining floodplains within the Pannom
plain in Serbia, representing a mosaic of woodland, meadow, marsh and pond ecosystems that ar:
tightly interconnected into a unique habitat characterised by high biodiversity, particularly amon1
small rodents. Over the course of field research in this area carried out in 2019, seven rodent specie
were registered (Apodemus agrarius, A. flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, Micromys minutus, Mus musculus
Microtus agrestis, M. arvalis), and 47 individuals of these species were captured and subjected t
helminthologkal examination. Ten nematode species (Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Heterakis spumosa,
Mastophorus muris, Strongyloides ratti, Syphacia agraria, S. frederici, S. montana, S. stroma, Trichuri muris, Calodium hepaticum) and two tapeworm species (Hymenolepis fraterna, Skrjabinotaenia lobata)
were found. Infection prevalence in the total host population was 85.1%. Of the individual nematode
species, H. polygyrus was the most prevalent (57.4%), S. stroma had the highest mean infection intensity (116), and S. agraria had the highest mean abundance (25.8). From a zoonotic standpoint, the most
significant species was C. hepaticum, which parasitises on the host liver. Its infection prevalence
was 43% which does not indicate infection hotspots, but certainly requires increased attention and
monitoring. Parasites are ubiquitous in the lives of wild animals and constitute a major component
of biodiversity. More than 50% of known species on Earth are parasites or pathogens, and over 60%
of human pathogens are of zoonotic origin. Helminths are the most prevalent group of macroscopic
endoparasites, with helminthiases considered as a major issue in infective disease. Helminths,
particularly gastrointestinal nematodes, can greatly influence human and animal health. In the
context of global anthropogenic changes of natural ecosystems, studies of helminths of wild mammals
in protected areas are of special interest, simply because the diversity of animals and their parasites is
highly preserved in such areas due to their protection regimes. Rodent population control and studies
of their helminth fauna in these areas is a primary means of control of the zoonoses they carry. | sr |
