Determination of limits of ashworthiosis foci in eastern and southern Poland

The task was to establish the foci of ashworthiosis. The locations were: Białowieza Forest and Bieszczady Mountains. The wild cervides including: 52 red deer and 15 roe deer as well as domestic ruminants: 17 cattle and 18 sheep were examined parasitologically. Also, the examination was extended to neighbouring and additional areas. Contents of abomasa after multiple decantation were conserved with 2% formaldehyde. All nematodes were isolated from the contest, cleared in 70% ethanol with 5% glycerol and determinated to the species on the basis of structure of bursa copulatrix. Intensity of invasions of red deer oscillated from 3 to 296 specimens of A. sidemi and of roe deer from 42 to 545 nematodes. There were found none of domestic ruminants infected with this nematode in areas neighbouring with woods in both foci. Examinations showed that relatively new (found in 2000 year) focus of ashworthiosis in Polish part of Białowieza Forest has not dispersed yet beyond the limits of this forest complex. However, focus of ashworthiosis found in Bieszczady Mountains in 1997 year initially in Lutowiska Forest District expanded on the area of neighbouring Bieszczady forest districts: Komańcza, Cisna and Baligród and also on the area of Forest District Krasiczyn lying in Pogórze Przemyskie. So it is necessary further monitoring of status of A. sidemi infection of wild and domestic ruminants in neighbouring of both till now found foci.