STUDIES ON ENDOPARASITIZATION OF STRAY CA T

Investigations for endoparasitization and ectoparasitization were cond ucted from December 1990 through May 1992 on 111 cats, most of them st ray cats, in the regions of Gera (n = 79). Jena (n = 15) and Leipzig ( n = 17), with all places being located in the States of Thuringia and Saxony. Tests for endoparasites were made by means of coproscopy and p artial parasitological exposure. Endoparasite infestation was recordab le by these two methodes from 102 cats (91.9 %), with twelve different endoparasite species being identified. The most frequently recorded s pecies were Toxocara mystax (in 64.9 % all of cats examined) and Hydat igera taeniaeformis (33.3 %). Taenia crassiceps was found in six cats (5.4 %). Other infections were found to have been caused by Capillaria mustelorum (2.7 %), Capillaria plica (2.7 %), Capillaria aerophila (0 .9 %), Dipylidium caninum(12.6 %), Mesocestoides sp. (3.6 %), Isthmiop hora melis (0.9 %) as well as oocysts of three protozoan species, Cyst oisospora felis (17.1 %), Cystoisospora rivolta (12.6 %) and Toxoplasm a gondii/Hammondia hammondi (3.6 %). Toxascaris leonina, Ollulanus tri cuspis and hookworms were not even detected by means of specific techn iques. Poly-infections were recorded from 102 endoparasitized animals and accounted for 52.9 %, only slightly higher than mono-infections wh ich accounted for 47.1 %. Most of the infections were caused by one ne matode plus one cestode species (n = 17), e. g. Toxocara mystax + Hyda tigera taeniaeformis, as well as by one nematode plus one coccidian sp ecies, e.g. Toxocara mystax+Cystoisospora rivolta or C. felis. No sign ificant differences were found to exist between males and females or b etween lower and higher age levels (below or above one year of age) wi th regard to nematode extensiveness and intensity. Toxocara mystax inf estation intensity ranged from one to 50 worms/animal. Only low infest afion intensities, up to ten roundworms, were recorded from 46 cats (6 3.9 %). Higher occurrence with sign was recorded from two tapeworm spe cies, Hydatigera taeniaeformis and Dipylidium caninum, in cats more th an one year of age. High cestode intensities were exhibited by some an imals, e.g. 65 individuals of Hydatigera taeniaeformis, more than 131 0 Dipylidium caninum or 290 Mesocestoides. The following of the above endoparasites of cats may be considered to be potential pathogens of z oonoses: Toxocara mystax, Dipylidium caninum, Toxoplasma gondii and Is thmiophora melis.