HELMINTH FAUNA AND HELMINTHIASIS OF SHEEP FROM THE FOOTHILLS OF ARMENIA (JOINT RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTAL CENTER)

The monitoring of the epizootic situation on helminthiasis of small ruminants was conducted in the foothill zone of Armenia, on the territory of the Joint RussianArmenian Scientific and Experimental Center of Zoology and Parasitology (JRASEC). The study was carried out on sheep of different age groups (young animals aged 1–2 years and adult sheep of 3 years and older). The endoparasite fauna was represented by 2 trematode genera: Fasciola (F. hepatica, F. gigantica), and Dicrocoelium (D. dendriticum); 5 nematode genera: Nematodirus (N. spathiger), Trichuris (T. ovis), Chabertia (C. ovina), Haemonchus (H. contortus), and Marshallagia (M. marshalli); and 1 cestode genus: Echinococcus (E. granulosus). A total of 9 helminth species were identified. Based on the results of laboratory studies, the infection prevalence (IP) and intensity (II) were calculated. The infection rates varied by seasons of the year and were the highest with trematode infections in autumn. The condition for infection with biohelminths (Dicrocoelium, Fasciola, etc.) was their intermediate hosts, terrestrial and aquatic mollusks, and ants on pastures. Environmental factors (temperature, humidity, etc.) were significant for nematode growth and development.