http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24768317

Vet Parasitol. 2014 Apr 2. pii: S0304-4017(14)00180-0.
doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.03.019. [Epub ahead of print]

First survey of endoparasites in pet ferrets in Italy.

d'Ovidio D1, Pepe P2, Ianniello D2, Noviello E1, Quinton JF3, Cringoli
G2, Rinaldi L4.

Abstract
Endoparasites are infrequently reported in ferrets. A cross-sectional
survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal
parasites in pet ferrets in southern Italy. Fresh fecal samples were
randomly collected from 50 ferrets housed in pet shops or privately
owned. All fecal samples were processed using the FLOTAC pellet
technique to identify and count helminthic eggs/larvae and protozoan
cysts/oocysts. In addition, the samples were analyzed also by the Remel
Xpect(R) Giardia/Cryptosporidium immunoassay. Intestinal parasites were
detected in 15 out of 50 ferrets (30%). Eggs of ancylostomids were
found in 28.0% (14/50) of the animals and oocysts of Sarcocystis were
detected in one ferret (2.0%). None of the samples was positive for
Cryptosporidium or Giardia. To the authors' knowledge, this is the
first report of sarcosporidiosis in a pet ferret in Italy.

Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS:
Ancylostomids, FLOTAC, Ferrets, Intestinal parasites, Sarcocystis

PMID: 24768317 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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