Comparative analysis of the helminth fauna of domestic water birds in Azerbaijan
Comparative analysis of the helminth fauna of domestic water birds in Azerbaijan

Summary/Abstract: One of the factors that prevent the production of high-quality food products from geese and ducks, which contribute to satisfying people's demand for poultry meat, is helminthiasis. Determining the species composition of pathogens and determining the changes in the composition of the fauna over a certain period and its comparative analysis are of great scientific interest. For this purpose, in the years 2012–2024, 940 domestic water birds (Anser anser dom. and Anas platherhynchos dom.) from various economic regions of the Azerbaijan Republic were studied by the method of complete parasitological dissection. Some of the collected helminths was fixed in 70% alcohol or 4% formaldehyde, and permanent preparations were prepared from the rest and examined under light microscopes. Helminths were identified with the use of identification guides. It was found that in the period of study (2012–2024) 29 species of helminths (cestodes – 8, trematodes – 7, nematodes – 13, acanthocephalans – 1) were parasitic in domestic water birds. The results of studies conducted in the country in the years 1935–1982 were compared with these data. It was determined that the helminth list of domestic geese and ducks in the country in all periods consisted of 54 species (cestodes – 14, trematodes – 20, nematodes – 17, acanthocephalans – 3). As a result of the comparative analysis of the parasitic fauna, it was found that the number of species parasitic in birds decreased from 49 to 29. On the other hand, 5 new species of parasitic worms (cestodes – Diorchis inflata, Ligula intestinalis, trematode – Echinostoma chloropodis, nematode – Hystrichis tricolor and acanthocephalan – Polymorphus magnus) were included in the fauna. These species have a wide host range and are also found to infest waterfowl at high intensity. Twenty-five species of parasites mentioned in previous studies have not been encountered in the named hosts in the country in recent years. They include Dicranotaenia coronula, Microsomacanthus collaris, M. compressa, M. paracompressa, Sobolevicanthus gracilis, S. octacanthus cestodes and Cyclocoelum mutabile, Echinoparyphium westsibiricum, Echinostoma grande, E. robustum, E. stromi, Neoacanthoparyphium petrovi, Paryphostomum pentalobum, Psilochasmus caspicum, P. gaibovi, P. skrjabini, Typhlocoelum cucumerinum, Catatropis verrucosa, Notocotylus parviovatus trematodes. Nematodes (Amidostomum anseris, Echinuria uncinata, Baruscapillaria anseris, Trichostrongylus medius) and acanthocephalans (Polymorphus kostylewi, P. diploinflatus) are among the systematic groups that have undergone relatively few changes. Separately, it was found that the number of helminth species in domestic geese decreased from 32 to 22, and in domestic ducks from 41 to 21. When looking at the systematic groups of helminths, while there is few change in the number of nematodes, a significant decrease in the diversity of digenetic worms (from 19 to 7 species) is observed. This is most likely due to the decrease in the number of intermediate hosts involved in the development cycle of helminths or their absence in the current changing ecological conditions.

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