Parasitological examination results of zoo animals in Germany between 2012 and 2022

Abstract

Parasitic infections in zoo animals are a critical concern for both animal health and management. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of endo- and ectoparasites among zoo animals in Germany. A retrospective analysis of the submitted samples of a diverse range of zoo animals (5768) from a ten-year period (2012–2022) was conducted. Overall, 31.1% of those samples tested positive for at least one parasite. In the examined samples, helminths (28.4%) were found more often than protozoans (10.3%) or ectoparasites (0.8%). Among the various animal groups the following parasites were found most commonly: Artiodactyla: Coccidia (34.6%), Strongylida (23.4%); Perissodactyla: Strongylida (19.3%), Ascaridida (12.0%); Carnivora: Ascaridida (16.6%), Coccidia (8.1%); Rodentia: Oxyurida (18.2%), Coccidia (10.5%); Marsupialia: Coccidia (9.4%), Oxyurida (5.9%); Primates: Trichuris spp. (9.7%), Oxyurida (2.2%); Aves: Capillaria (7.8%), Ascaridida (7.6%); Reptilia, Amphibia, Insecta: Oxyurida (18.7%); Pisces: Ciliates (6.2%). Furthermore, potentially zoonotic parasites were identified, including Toxoplasma gondii (0.1%), Cryptosporidium sp. (0.1%). By examining the occurrence of specific parasites, these findings demonstrate the importance of parasites in the context of zoo animal health. They also highlight the need for effective strategies to control parasite burden to improve the overall welfare of zoo animals.