Gastrointestinal parasites of ostrich (Struthio camelus domesticus) raised in Iran

Introduction of ostrich (Struthio camelus domesticus), a new exotic host species to a new ecosystem like Iran, necessitates the study of its infectious diseases including parasitic infestations. For a period of one year, from 2002–03, faecal samples of 254 ostriches on 5 farms located at different parts of Iran, including Garmsar, Semnan province (n = 85); Nashtaroud, Mazandaran province (n = 29); Saveh, Central province (n = 47); Eshtehard, Ghazvin province (n = 8) and around Tehran, Tehran province (n = 85) were examined for gastrointestinal parasites. Our findings revealed the presence of Libostrongylus douglasii in 55% of the examined birds in Nashtaroud and 25% of birds of Eshtehard farms. In the latter farm, 12.5% in the ostriches harboured Heterakis dispar in their alimentary canals. Oocyst of Eimeria sp. was found in ostrich on farm of Garmsar. All these parasites are reported for the first time from ostriches in Iran.