POLYPARASITISM AND DAMAGE OF SMALL RUMINANTS’ EFFICIENCY IN THE DISTRICT OF ELBASAN, ALBANIA

Parasitic diseases cause loss of productivity in sheep and polyparasitism is already a widespread phenomenon. This paper brings forward a preliminary parasitic study as well as data on sheep productivity, by testing samples of productive animals in the district of Elbasan. The samples were gathered and examined during the seasons that display parasitic culmination in sheep, in spring, autumn and winter. Parasitic examinations were performed in the Veterinary Laboratory in Elbasan under a permanent supervision by the Sector of Parasitolgy from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Tirana. The parasitic diagnostic methods that were used, were direct. Comparisons were later drawn, based on the results of previous years by the studies carried out previously by the FVM and the Veterinary service in the county of Elbasan. Each sample was analyzed with the method of sedimentation for the trematodes (fasciola, dicrocoelium, paramphistomum), the method of flotation (Mc Master) for the gastrointestinal strongyloidiasis, dicrocoelium, strongyloides, trichuris and cestodes and the Berman method for the bronchopulmonary strongyloidiasis. The most important species resulted Fasciola hepatica, the gastrointestinal strongyloidiasis, the bronchopulmonary strongyloidiasis, which were observed all over the examined herds. The parasite load of fascioliasis in sheep fluctuated from 48 e/g/f to 114 e/g/f, dicrocoeliasis from 0 e/g/f to 60 e/g/f in winter; of the paramphistomum from 24 e/g/f to 72 e/g/f; of the gastrointestinal strongyloidiasis from 24 e/g/f to 240 e/g/f, of the bronchopulmonary strongyloidiasis from 12 l/g/f – to 120 l/g/f. Trichuris ovis was observed in almost uniform values from 6 e/g/f to 36 e/g/f. Cestodes were diagnosed in all the seasons, but their level culminated in spring. The study showed that polyparasitism in sheep is a real phenomenon which damages health and efficiency. Therapy and prophylaxis against parasites in sheep must be applied regularly and it must take into consideration the parasite load as well as the biological cycle of the parasites.