LUNGWORM AND STOMACH WORM INFECTION IN RELATION TO BODY-FAT RESERVES AND BLOOD COMPOSITION IN WILD BOAR [SUS SCROFA]

Lung and stomach nematode burden was estimated in 8 juvenile and 12 ad ult wild boar (Sus scrofa), shot in The Royal Forestry 'Het Loo' betwe en January 1988 and April 1989, in order to study whether body fat res erves or blood composition (i.e., nutritional status) is correlated wi th the parasite burden. Only bone marrow fat, the last fat reserve to be mobilized, showed a slight negative correlation with the stomach wo rm burden. Serum urea concentration, an indicator of severe undernutri tion, was weakly correlated with the stomach worm burden in juvenile b oars. These results suggest a relatively small impact of these parasit es on animals with a lowered nutritional status. The burden of lungwor ms or stomach worms did not provide reliable information about the bod y condition of wild boar.