Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of cattle in Greece

Abstract

In this study, 600 faecal samples, collected from cattle of various parts of Greece, were examined with two different parasitological methods (sedimentation and flotation). The prevalence of the infection with one or more parasitic species was 53.5%. The animals were found to be infected with the following parasitic species: Entamoeba bovis (0.5%), Eimeria spp. (11.83%), Buxtonella sulcata (7.5%), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (4.5%), Fasciola hepatica (0.16%), Paramphistomum cervi (4.66%), Moniezia benedeni (1.83%), Strongyloidea (41.66%), Neoascaris vitulorum (3.33%) and Trichuris spp. (0.83%). The results are compared to those from similar studies in Greece or abroad. Suggestions for the prevention and control of cattle parasites are discussed.