Descriptions of intestinal parasites of wild birds in Khuaestan province

Wild birds have important pacts in distribution of parasites and other infectious disease. Their study has importance in ecology of parasites study. Wild and migratory birds may act as reservoir for zoonotic disease and monitoring of their disease has medically importance.
For study of intestinal parasites of birds in Khuzestan province, this study was conducted on 46 dead birds found in the area. Specimens were stained by Carmen dye and were morphologically identified by diagnostic keys.
Herons (Egretta spp.) was heavily infected. They had highest prevalence of infection and were host of most variety of parasites. In parasitologic point of view Trematoda, mainly Priosoma sp (Family Echinostomidae) was most prevalent parasite. Cestoda like Taufiqia, Laritenia and diorchis were found in 4 and 5 carcasses of 10 cestod-infected birds respectively. Infection to Nematoda was seen less. In 9 cacesses which was infected with nematoda, 2 were infected with Anisakis sp. and in 4 cases immature larva were seen.
This study may show table of helminthic parasites in wild birds of Khuzestan, in which Herons (Egretta spp.) seems to be more important. This is the first report of Taufiqia iranica which is parasite of necrophagous birds in Himantopus himantopus