Review reveals nematodes and vector-borne diseases threaten musk deer in Altai, implying ecological concerns.
The conducted review of scientific literature has established the presence of one species of trematodes, three species of cestodes, nine species of nematodes, three species of protozoa, and two species of ectoparasites in Siberian musk deer in the Altai Republic and the Altai Krai. Other ungulates in the Altai Republic exhibit such pathogens as Fasciola hepatica, paramphystomatids, cysticerci (larvae), and echinococcus (larvae), which can potentially infect musk deer. The causative agents of blood-parasitic diseases in musk deer have not been registered so far. However, the presence of ixode ticks that carry vector-borne diseases (Dermacentor pictus, D. marginatus, D. silvarum, D. nuttali, Ixodes persulcatus, Haemaphysalis concinna) indicates the possibility of their occurrence in musk deer. The conducted analysis of literature data and veterinary reports has identified a list of pathogens that are potentially dangerous to musk deer in the Altai Republic. The study has revealed gaps in the knowledge about the parasite fauna of the Siberian musk deer.
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Zubalii et al. (2025) studied this question.
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