Epizootological Survey and Identification of Helminth Fauna in Golden Jackals (Canis aureus) from Southern Kazakhstan

The golden jackal (<i>Canis aureus</i>) is a highly adaptable wild carnivore whose expanding range in Kazakhstan increases contact with livestock, wildlife, and human-modified environments. Despite its potential epidemiological importance, data on helminth infections in jackals from southern Kazakhstan remain limited. In this study, 13 golden jackals collected from four regions of southern Kazakhstan were examined by necropsy of internal organs and coprological analysis. Helminths were identified using morphological methods and molecular genetic analysis of mitochondrial (<i>cox1</i>) and ribosomal (<i>NC13</i>/<i>NC2</i>) markers. Five helminth species were detected, including the nematodes <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> and <i>Toxocara canis</i>, and the cestodes <i>Taenia multiceps</i>, <i>Taenia krabbei</i>, and <i>Mesocestoides</i> sp. Molecular phylogenetic analyses confirmed species-level identification of nematodes and cestodes and showed clear clustering with reference sequences. Overall, 46% of examined jackals were infected with at least one helminth species. The presence of taeniid cestodes and zoonotic nematodes highlights the role of golden jackals as definitive hosts in parasite transmission cycles involving wildlife, livestock, and humans. These findings provide new molecular and epizootological data on helminths of golden jackals in southern Kazakhstan and contribute to understanding their epidemiological significance.