Abomasal helmithofauna of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus capreolus) in the Julian Prealps and the anatomopathological aspects associated

Roe deer is a great importance species in relation to wildlife management. Ecoparasitological analyses show that the abomasal parasitic burden and host body condition are closely related, but no information there is on tissue damage induced by abomasal helminthofauna. Fifty-one roe deer shot during period 2004-2007 and coming from game reserves of Julian Prealps, were investigated for the presence of abomasal nematodes. Each abomasum was opened along the Curvatura major and the content was collected for parasitological exams. After photograph and macroscopic evaluation, abomasal standard samples (n. subjects 47) were collected for anatomopathological analysis. The helminth prevalence (P), mean intensity (MI), abundance (A), relative abundance (RA) of each parasite species were calculated. Fifteen helminth species (as average 6 species/animal) were recovered in roe deer population: Teledorsagia circumcincta, T. davtiani, Spiculopteragia spiculoptera, S. mathevossiani, Ostertagia lyrata, O. trifurcata, O. leptospicularis, O. kolchida, O. ostertagi, Heamonchus contortus, Tricostrongylus capricola, T. vitrinus, T. colubriformis, T. axei, Nematodirus europeaus. S. spiculoptera (P= 100; A=286; RA=27.3) and O. leptospicularis (P=100; A=273; RA=26), associated to their alternative morphs S. mathevossiani (P=70.6; A=38; RA=3.6) and O. kolchida (P=88.2; A=87; RA=8.3), were the abomasal dominant species. Therefore, species composition was typical of this wild ruminant host in Europe. Between generalist species, H. contortus shows also a high prevalence and abundance (P=74.5; A=294; RA=28). All the abomasums show histological defensive lesions of variable intensity. Attributing the single identified species to the anatomopathological patterns based on the abomasal multiparassitism in not simple. However the main epidemiological index applied to the different abomasitis forms will be discussed.