The Epizootiology of the helminth fauna of the digestive tract of the chacma baboon Papio ursinus (Kerr, 1792) from different localities in the Transvaal

Abstract

One hundred and eleven baboons from the Loskop Dam, Suikerbosrand and Scrutton nature reserves and the Sabie-Tweefontein forest reserve were examined for helminths of the digestive tract. The helmin ths recovered were Bertie/la studeri, Enterobius vermicularis, Oesophagostomum bifurcum, Physa/optera caucasica, Streptopharagus pigmentatus, Strongy/ oides fii,lleborni, Trichostrongylus falculatus, Trichuris trichiura and females 8f Trichuris which possibly belong to a new species. Most baboons harboured three, and some as many as six, species of helminths. Worm burdens of the various helminths varied greatly even among baboons from the same locality, age group and sex. All helminths found in the present study can occur in very young animals. Worm burden~ generally increased as the host aged with a subsequent decrease among adult baboons for Enterobius vermicularis, Strongyloides fiilleborni and Trichostrongylus falculatus. Higher worm burdens in the wet season were found for Bertie/la studeri and Oesophagostomum bifurcum, whereas Trichostrongylus falculatus occurred in higher numbers during the dry season. No significant differences in worm burdens were found in male and female baboons, but Physaloptera caucasica was more prevalent in males. Trichostrongylus falculatus and Enterobius vennicularis are new records for the chacma baboon.