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Survey on the prevalences of Trichuris spp_ infection in sheep from the Tianshan Mountains pastoral areas in China
| Year | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | ||||||
| Pastoral area | Number of sheep surveyed | Number of infected sheep (%) | Number of sheep surveyed | Number of infected sheep (%) | Number of sheep surveyed | Number of infected sheep (%) | Number of sheep surveyed | Number of infected sheep (%) |
| Urumqi | 86 | 69 (80.2) | 84 | 66 (78.6) | 79 | 66 (83.5) | 249 | 201 (80.7) |
| Yili | 78 | 70 (89.7) | 85 | 73 (85.9) | 82 | 70 (85.4) | 245 | 213 (86.9) |
| Bole | 85 | 74 (87.0) | 88 | 74 (84.1) | 75 | 65 (86.7) | 248 | 213 (85.9) |
| Tacheng | 75 | 65 (86.7) | 78 | 68 (87.2) | 88 | 74 (84.1) | 241 | 207 (85.9) |
| Altai | 72 | 66 (91.7) | 77 | 71 (92.2) | 84 | 76 (90.5) | 233 | 213 (91.4) |
| Total | 396 | 344 (86.9) | 412 | 352 (85.4) | 408 | 351 (86.0) | 1,216 | 1,047（86.1) |
Key characteristics used in the identification of Trichuris spp_ in sheep from the Tianshan Mountains pastoral areas in China
| Species of Trichuris of which a male was examined | Length of body (mm) | Whip length/body length | Length of spicule (mm) | Length of the spicule sheath (mm) | Morphology of the spicule sheath |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T. lani | 46.5 ± 10.3 | 1.8/1 | 3.2–4.5 | 0.18–0.2 | Tubular; the spicule sheath surface densely covered with small spines, the outer shape resembling a baseball bat |
| T. gazellae | 52.1 ± 6.6 | 2.2/1 | 1.5–2.2 | 0.2–1.2 | Proximal 3/4 of the sheath densely covered with an expanded small spines; part as spiny it approaches part forming the unarmed part; distal 1/4 thinner, unarmed |
| T. ovina | 47.4 ± 8.7 | 2.5/1 | 0.8–1.2 | 0.18–0.32 | Proximal small spines; 1/2 of distal sheath 1/2 densely unarmed covered with |
| T. discolor | 45.2 ± 1.8 | 1.9/1 | 1.2–1.5 | 0.18–0.20 | Surface sheath end densely dilated covered and spherical with small spines, |
| T. longispiculus | 45.6 ± 10.4 | 2.0/1 | 1.3–2.5 | 0.21–0.66 | Surface sheath ends densely flared covered and enlarged with small spines, |
| T. concolor | 36.8 ± 7.4 | 2.2/1 | 1.1–1.5 | 0.25–0.3 | Rod-shaped, densely covered with small spines |
| Trichuris sp. | 40.5 ± 5.6 | 2.0/1 | 1.1–1.5 | 0.25–0.3 | Surface covered with small spines; the beginning gradually of becomes the sheath thinner, flares with and no then spines at the end |
Infection of Trichuris spp_ in sheep at different ages
| Sheep age (years) | <1 | 1–4 | ≥4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of sheep surveyed | 862 | 119 | 235 |
| Number of infected sheep (%) | 860 (99.8) a | 96 (80.7) a | 91 (38.7) b |