Helminth Infection in the Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes, L., 1758) in the North-West Caucasus

In the North-West Caucasus, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is involved in maintaining natural foci of helminth infections that have medical and veterinary importance. In the region, 160 carcasses of red foxes obtained in 4 landscape and geographical zones were examined by the method of complete helminthological dissections in 2010-2023. The infection prevalence and intensity parameters were determined. The helminth infection rate in the fox was 96.2%. The helminthic cenosis was represented by 30 species of parasitic worms. Out of the found helminths, trematodes were 5 species (16.7%), cestodes, 6 species (20.0%), nematodes, 18 species (60.0%), and acanthocephalans, 1 species (3.0%). The flooded coastal zone found 25 helminth species, the flat zone, 27 species, the foothills, 23 species, and the mountain zone, 19 species. The high infection in foxes was recorded in the region with the following helminths: Alaria alata, Taenia crassiceps, Mesocestoides lineatus, Uncinaria stenocephala, and Toxascaris leonina. The analysis of fox stomach contents showed that the major portion in the diet was rodents, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and insects.