Prevalence of Intestinal Protozoa in Pigs of Northern Black Sea Region, Ukraine

Intestinal protozoan parasites threaten the health and welfare of pigs and impair the sustainability of pig farms, resulting in monetary losses. The present study aimed to determine the distribution of protozoa in large white pigs in the farms of Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions in Ukraine. The parasitological surveys were conducted from March 2020 to March 2022 on three types of farms, including four large farms (> 100 sows), six medium farms (25-100 sows), and eight small farms (< 25 sows). A total of 3938 fecal samples from pigs of various age groups, namely 0-2-month piglets, 2-4-month piglets, pigs on fattening, and sows, were examined. Eimeria and isospores were determined using McMaster’s method in Raynaud’s modification, cryptosporidia by staining smears, blastocysts by the method of ethyl acetate-formalin concentration, and direct microscopy. The recorded protozoa were species Eimeria spp., Cystoisospora suis (syn. Isospora suis), Balantidium coli, Cryptosporidium spp., Blastocystis spp. These species of protozoa were observed in 31.1%, 49.0%, and 58.8% of pigs in large, medium-sized, and small farms, respectively. The findings indicated that Isospora suis and Eimeria spp. were most commonly present in piglets aged 0-2 months in large (29.7% and 23.0%, respectively), medium (32.3%, 29.4%), and small farms (30.0%, 13.5%). Balantidium coli was not registered in pigs from large farms, and in piglets 2-4 months old from small farms, the prevalence of infestation was 17.2%. Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis spp. were mostly recorded in piglets 2-4 months old from small farms (16.2%, 7.1%). In large and medium-sized farms of the Northern Black Sea region, mono infestations were recorded the most (73.6%, 72.0%), while mixed two-component infestation dominated (52.5%) small farms. Intestinal protozoa should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intestinal disorders as major factors or concomitant intestinal pathogens.