Helminths in Sheep on Farms of the Basilicata Region of Southern Italy

The aim of this study was to obtain up-to-date information on the presence and distribution of helminths in grazing sheep from the Basilicata region of southern Italy. A cross-sectional coprological survey was conducted on 98 sheep farms and the FLOTAC dual technique was used to detect and count parasitic elements. The most frequent nematodes found were gastrointestinal (GI) strongyles (91.8 %), in particular Haemonchus (76.9 %), Trichostrongylus (91.8 %), Teladorsagia (88.8 %), Cooperia (77.6 %), and Oesophagostomum (72.5 %). They were followed by lungworms (50.0 %), including Muellerius (37.8 %), Neostrongylus (13.3 %), Protostrongylus (4.4 %), Cystocaulus (2 %), and Dictyocaulus (2 %). We also found Trichuris (39.8 %), Nematodirus (24.5 %), Strongyloides (4.1 %), and Skrjabinema (2.0 %). Trematoda were also found with the following prevalence: Calicophoron daubneyi (10.2 %), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (61.2 %), and Fasciola hepatica (1.0 %). Moniezia was found on 35.7 % of farms. Interestingly, the spatial analysis showed clusters for C. daubneyi and D. dendriticum.