First report of Fasciola hepatica seroprevalence and risk factors in European bison (Bison bonasus)

Fasciola hepatica is a trematode that infects ruminants worldwide. It is also the infectious agent of a zoonosis, fasciolosis, which is considered to be a re-emerging disease. There is no data about F. hepatica seroprevalence in European bison (Bison bonasus); however, complex population health monitoring is particularly important in protected species such as this. Addressing the need for this surveillance, the aim of this study was to assess for the first time the seroprevalence of F. hepatica in Polish free-living European bison populations and identify risk factors for infection.

Material and Methods

Between 2020 and 2024, serum samples were collected from 119 free-ranging European bison from mountains and lowland areas. Serum samples were tested with a commercial ELISA to detect antibodies to Fasciola hepatica, and the data yielded were statistically analysed.

Results

The study revealed F. hepatica seropositivity in 20/119 animals (16.8%), with higher herd seroprevalence in lowland groups, and higher individual seroprevalence in females and animals from lowland areas.

Conclusion

Our study shows that a serological examination may be a useful and convenient diagnostic tool in assessing the F. hepatica exposure of the European bison population, especially when performing epizootic and retrospective studies.

Langue:: Anglais

Périodicité:: 4 fois par an
Sujets de la revue:: Sciences de la vie, Biologie moléculaire, Microbiologie et virologie, Sciences de la vie, autres, Médecine, Médecine vétérinaire

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First report of Fasciola hepatica seroprevalence and risk factors in European bison (Bison bonasus)

Anna Didkowska

Daniel Klich

Katarzyna Filip-Hutsch

Katarzyna Matusik

Monika Krajewska-Wędzina

Marlena Wojciechowska

Stanisław Kaczor

Wanda Olech

Krzysztof Anusz

Publié en ligne: 04 avr. 2025

Pages: 227 - 232

Reçu: 07 oct. 2024

Accepté: 24 mars 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2025-0020

Mots clésantibodies, European bison, liver fluke, Poland

© 2025 Anna Didkowska et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Introduction

Material and Methods

Results

Conclusion

Mots clés
antibodies, European bison, liver fluke, Poland