The purpose of the research is a comparative analysis of the helminth fauna in dice snakes of the grey and black morph inhabiting the Lower Volga region.

Materials and methods. A total of 32 grey and 41 black dice snakes Natrix tessellata from three habitats in the Astrakhan region, caught in 2004, 2005, and 2008, were examined using the method of complete helminthological dissection. The parasitological material was processed using standard methods. Statistical analysis was performed using the Shannon, Jaccard, Sorensen, Palia-Kovnatski dominance indices, and the Mann-Whitney criterion.

Results and discussion. A comparative analysis of the helminth fauna in dice snakes of the grey and black morph was conducted. A total of 21 species of parasitic worms were found in dice snakes examined: Cestoda – 1, Trematoda – 11, Nematoda – 8, Acanthocephala – 1. All these species of helminths were found in grey dice snakes. In black N. tessellata, 18 species of parasites were recorded. Paralepoderma cloacicola, Camallanus lacustris and Centrorhynchus aluconis were found only in grey morph of the dice snake. The analysis of the total helminth infection in dice snakes of different morphs did not reveal any significant differences, as well as pairwise comparison of the infection of reptiles by common parasite species. It was found that the structure and dominance of parasites in the helminth fauna of grey and black N. tessellata differs. Comparison of the helminth fauna of grey and black dice snakes in both qualitative and quantitative terms showed a high degree of similarity. Analysis of the helminth species diversity in dice snakes of different morphs revealed that the diversity of the parasite fauna of grey and black N. tessellata is approximately at the same level. Similar structure of helminths in dice snakes of different colors indicates the similarity of their topical and trophic niches. Relatively high infection of grey dice snakes with helminths is probably due to differences in physiology. It was established that both morphs of N. tessellata take part in the formation of the helminth fauna of the dice snake.

The purpose of the research is to evaluate the influence of housing system, season, and weather conditions on the fecal egg count of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses in the Amur Region of the Russian Far East from 2021 to 2024.

Materials and methods. A total of 1,494 fecal samples were collected from 212 horses kept on permanent pasture (three farms) or in stalls with daily grazing (four farms). Eggs of Strongylata spp., Parascaris equorum, and Oxyuris equi were counted using the McMaster method. Average monthly air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation were obtained from the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia. Egg counts were log-transformed [log₁₀(EPG + 1)]. Preliminary relationships were examined using Spearman's rank correlation. Determinants of Strongylata spp. egg shedding were estimated using ordinary least squares regression with cluster-robust (HC1) standard errors for the farm factor (n = 7).

Results and discussion. Strongylata spp. nematodes were nearly ubiquitous (99% of horses), while P. equorum and O. equi were present in 24% and 8% of horses, respectively. Pasture grazing increased the log FEC of Strongylata spp. By 0.29±0.06 (1.9 times increase; P < 0.001) and autumn sampling by 0.22±0.05 (1.6 times increase; P < 0.001) compared to spring sampling. Each 1 оC increase in mean monthly temperature added 0.035±0.009 log units (P < 0.001). Humidity and precipitation showed no independent effects after adjustment. No significant relationship with weather conditions was found for P. equorum or O. equi. Therefore, continuous grazing combined with warm weather conditions is the main risk factor for Strongylata spp. infection. To improve control and reduce unnecessary winter treatments, strategic deworming in April and September, combined with selective therapy, is recommended.

The purpose of the research is to develop a seasonal forecasting model for mosquito populations (family Culicidae) in the Kaluga Region based on time series analysis methods with climatic factors taken into account, which ensures a forecast accuracy of at least 85% to plan proactive anti-epidemic measures.

Materials and methods. The study on mosquito population dynamics in the Kaluga Region for 2014–2024 used an integrated approach combining field observations, statistical analysis, and mathematical modeling. Climatic parameters (average monthly temperatures, precipitation, and air humidity) were analyzed in parallel. A time series modeling method was used.

Results and discussion. The forecasting model for mosquito populations in the Kaluga Region for 2024 was developed using the seasonal SARIMA model. The results obtained demonstrate the forecast reliability: the mean absolute percentage error is 7.9%, which means the forecast deviates from actual values by less than 8%, on average. The standard error of 147.2 specimens indicates that the forecast data may differ in absolute values from actual values by approximately 150 specimens, with an average population size of approximately 1,800–2,500 specimens. These values demonstrate the high model reliability and applicability for practical use. These results have important practical implications for planning timely treatments of areas, optimizing epidemiological surveillance, allocating resources to control disease vectors, and informing the public about periods of increased mosquito activity.

The purpose of the research is to study the distribution of such bioand geohelminths as Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, Trichinella spp., Тохосаrа spp., and Ascaris spp. in the Central Black Earth Region (by the example of the Kursk and Oryol Regions).

Materials and methods. From April to November 2024, 321 positive samples were obtained from water, storm drains, soils, and bottom sediments. In the Kursk Region, the studies were conducted in the Kursky, Zheleznogorsky, Dmitrievsky and Solntsevsky Districts; in the Oryol Region, the Dmitrovsky District. The water was tested using a ProboKonG device. The soils, land drainage, and bottom sediments were sampled according to MUK 4.2.2661-10, and the mammals were dissected according to K. I. Skryabin (1938). Electronic maps were created in the Axioma GIS environment with the Google My Maps, Yandex Maps, and Navitel software.

Results and discussion. Sparganosis, trichinellosis, ascaridiosis and toxocarosis were found to be widespread in the studied areas. The samples taken from open water sources showed an average contamination with S. erinaceieuropaei eggs of 5.4%, while the lowest amount of infective material of 1.9% was observed in the Kursky District of the Kursk Region, and the highest of 6.6% in the Zheleznogorsky and Solntsevsky Districts, respectively. Infective eggs of Toxocara spp. and Ascaris spp. geohelminths were found in many soil samples. Geohelminth eggs were found in the Kursky and Zheleznogorsky Districts of the Kursk Region, and in the Dmitrovsky District of the Oryol Region. The results were explained by agricultural enterprises located in the studied areas, and the significant anthropogenic load. Among rodents that underwent helminthological dissections in the Solntsevsky District of the Kursk Region, Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout, 1769)) infected with Trichinella spp. capsules were found.

The purpose of the research is to obtain information on the current status of infection in cattle on various farms in the Republic of Dagestan.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted from March to July 2025. Data were collected from various farms in the Republic of Dagestan at all altitudes. Fecal samples from 390 animals were analyzed using a flotation method and a VIGIS counting chamber in the Laboratory for the Study of Infecive Diseases in Livestock Animals and Poultry, the Caspian Zonal Scientific Research Veterinary Institute (ZNIVI). The screening of internal organs from 287 carcasses were conducted by examining and dissecting the liver and bile ducts at slaughterhouses in Makhachkala. The study results were statistically processed using the Biometry software package.

Results and discussion. The results of the studies conducted between March and July 2025 found the prevalence of bovine fasciolosis in the Republic. According to the coproovoscopy, the average infection rate in the cattle was 39.6%, while postmortem examination of internal organs showed 41.1%. The infection is widespread throughout various regions of Dagestan. An infection increase is observed from highland to lowland areas; it is driven by the greater number of open water bodies, rivers, and flood plains located closer to the sea where the intermediate hosts of fasciolosis – mollusks – live. The data obtained indicate the need to study the epizootic situation and strengthen the infection control at all levels.

The purpose of the research is to develop a method of sample preparation using reagents and materials of Russian production to study the protein profile of sanitary-significant helminths of commercial fish using the method of time-offlight mass spectrometry with laser desorption/ionization (MALDI-TOF).

Materials and methods. 98 specimens of helminths from three fish species were selected for the study: adult cestodes Triaenophorus nodulosus from the intestines of a pike (Esox lucius), plerocercoids cestodes Diphyllobothrium ditremum from the wall of the stomach and intestines of European vendace (Coregonus albula), nematode larvae Eustrongylides excisus from muscle tissue and liver of Common perch (Perca fluviatilis). Ichthyological material was obtained using passive fishing gear (nets) in the period from January to August 2025 and delivered to the laboratory in frozen form. In the laboratory, fish were dissected and muscle tissue and internal organs were examined under binocular microscope Motic SMZ-171T. For species identification of parasites, the Identifier of Parasites of Freshwater Fish Fauna of the USSR Gusev (1985), Аvdeev (1987) was used. Photo documentation was performed using the microscope Zeiss AxioImager Z.1. Sample preparation (extraction) of helminths was carried out according to the patent N RU 2768162 C1 Method for preparing adult nematode specimens for identification using MALDI TOFF mass spectrometry method (2022). Mass spectrometry of helminths was performed on a mass spectrometer MALDI (Microflex, Bruker Germany).

Results and discussion. Currently, in the Russian Federation, there is a need to develop, verify, and implement into practical activities of testing laboratories the working protocols of the MALDI-TOF MS method for diagnosing infections of fish used for food purposes, and to create a unified reference library of the spectra of helminth proteins found in Russia. Also, a standard operating protocol for diagnostic testing of helminths using time-of-flight mass spectrometry has not been developed. We conducted research to refine a method for sample preparation (extraction) of helminths using Russianmade consumables and reagents. As a result of our research, we developed a sample preparation protocol and obtained 41 mass spectra.

The purpose of the research is the species identification of Dibothriocephalus spp. plerocercoids in the summer chum Oncorhynchus keta caught in the Amur River based on analysis of a cytochrome c-oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene fragment of mitochondrial DNA.

Materials and methods. Using the method of partial helminthological dissection, 64 specimens of the summer chum (Oncorhynchus keta) caught in the Amur River in the Ulchsky District of the Khabarovsk Territory were examined. DNA was extracted from fragments of Dibothriocephalus spp. plerocercoids found, and a fragment of the gene encoding mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) of D. nihonkaiensis was amplified. The amplification products were sequenced using a Sanger sequencing method. The resulting nucleotide sequences were analyzed with the online BLAST algorithm.

Results and discussion. Type F plerocercoids were detected in 38 summer chums O. keta. The COX1 gene fragment nucleotide sequences (579 base pairs) obtained by sequencing showed 98.55 to 100% similarity in the analyzed region to the D. nihonkaiensis reference sequences registered in GenBank. These studies confirmed that the summer chums O. keta caught in the Amur River were infected with diphyllobothriosis causative agent D. nihonkaiensis.

The purpose of the research is determine the optimal time and temperature parameters for the extraction of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus nematodes by Baermann-funnel method from pine wood of Pinus sylvestris L.

Materials and methods. P. sylvestris logs 22–25 cm long, cut from a 15-year-old visually healthy pine tree, were infested with the pine wood stem nematode B. xylophilus and incubated for 45 days in a thermostat at 27 °C. Further, sawdust was obtained by drilling nematode-infested logs with a drill to form a single wood substrate sample. Berman's funnel technique was used to extract nematodes from the wood sample. The experiments included four replications of 8 samples each. Nematode abundance was counted after 6, 24 and 48 hours at 18 and 25 °C. The data were processed in MS Excel.

Results and discussion. The conducted studies showed that about 80% of the nematodes were extracted within the first 24 hours. This period is optimal for nematological analysis. The number of nematodes extracted in the following 24 hours was about 20%. Temperature between 18 and 25 °C influenced the degree of nematode extraction from the wood substrate, but not always significantly. The numbers of extracted nematodes in different samples obtained from the single mixed substrate differed significantly, which can be explained by the aggregation of their distribution in the wood substrate.

The purpose of the research is to investigate the clinical, morphological, and biochemical parameters of the peripheral blood of dogs with a confirmed diagnosis of leishmaniasis in the Republic of Cyprus.

Materials and methods. We studied the morphological and biochemical parameters of the blood of eight hunting dogs weighing 15–23 kg, kept in private enclosures or outdoors in Paphos (Cyprus), infected with leishmaniasis. Diagnosis of the presence of antibodies to the parasite was established using the SNAP test (IDEXX, USA), an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An IDEXX ProCyte Dx hematology analyzer was used for clinical blood analysis, and biochemical blood tests were performed on an IDEXX Catalyst Dx analyzer.

Results and discussion. It was found that most dogs infected with leishmaniasis exhibited both general negative changes in blood cells, body systems, and target organs, as well as individual changes. General changes in the peripheral blood of dogs include erythrocytopenia, decreased hemoglobin, increased creatinine, urea, and phosphorus levels, which may indicate the development of acute renal failure, as well as increased alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activity.

The purpose of the research is a comparative production trial of combined micronized dosage forms based on benzimidazoles and niclosamide against bothriocephalosis in carp.

Materials and methods. A formulation was previously developed for two dosage forms based on albendazole with niclosamide and fenbendazole with niclosamide. Laboratory batches of therapeutic feeds containing combined micronized dosage forms were produced, and the Bothriocephalus infection rate in fish in the growing season and the efficacy of the combined micronized dosage forms against bothriocephalosis in carp were determined using common methods. The efficacy was assessed for the combined micronized dosage forms under production conditions.

Results and discussion. A comparative production test of two combined micronized dosage forms as part of therapeutic granulated feed against bothriocephalosis in carp found the therapeutic feed containing a 4% combined micronized dosage form based on albendazole and niclosamide to be the most effective if administered once at the 5% feeding dose. This dosage form demonstrated efficacy similar to that of the standard drug (Microsal), which is currently used to treat bothriocephalosis in carp.

The purpose of the research is to develop a group treatment method for paramphistomosis in sheep using Fascocid granules containing micronized bentonite powder (25-60 µm) with concentrated feed.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted in 2025 at a laboratory for the study of infective diseases of farm animals and poultry. The subjects were 140 Dagestan Mountain Merino sheep aged 1-4 years, weighing 55–65 kg. Fecal samples from the experimental groups were analyzed, as well as gastrointestinal tract samples from sheep arriving at the ShamkhalTyube slaughterhouse. The development and testing of a method for treating paramphistomosis by group feeding fascocide granules mixed with micronized powder of the natural mineral bentonite (25–60 µm particle size) with concentrated feed was conducted at the Agrofirm Chokh farm in the Gunibsky District and on winter pastures in the Kumtorkalinsky District.

Results and discussion.The study demonstrated the high efficacy of the combination product Fascocide granules and micronized bentonite powder against paramphistomosis in sheep with concentrated feed – 94.52% when fed in groups. This method of administering the anthelmintic, especially in pasture-based livestock farming, offers several advantages, such as reduced production stress, material costs, and time required for preventive measures.

The purpose of the research is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of a combined antiparasitic drug containing ivermectin and praziquantel against various forms of parasitic diseases in cattle.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted on a farm in the Kaliningrad Region from July 29 to October 14, 2024. Of 890 animals, 50 heifers in the age of 8–14 months diagnosed with nematodosis, cestodosis, trematodosis, arachnoid infections, and myiasis were selected for the experiment. The animals were divided into five groups according to the type of infection. The drug was administered orally with feed or a milk replacer at doses appropriate for the body weight and the type of disease. Diagnostic procedures included clinical examination, coprological studies (Fülleborn, Shcherbovich), larvoscopy, microscopic examination of skin scrapings, and visual assessment.

Results and discussion. Previously used methods demonstrated complete elimination of nematodosis and cestodosis with two applied doses of the drug; the efficacy against arachnoid infections and myiasis was 80–90%. The drug did not cause any side effects. Thus, the combined product which combines ivermectin and praziquantel is effective and safe for veterinary use and can be used for the treatment and prevention of multiple parasitic infections in cattle.

The purpose of the research is to study the tolerance to increased doses of D-Cyphenothrin Combo (D-Cyphenothrin, pyriproxyfen and piperonyl butoxide) in the form of a solution for external use in the treatment of cattle of different age groups.

Materials and methods. The VNIIP – FSC VIEV has developed a drug in solution formulation (concentrate) for external use based on three active ingredients: D-cyphenothrin, pyriproxyfen, and piperonyl butoxide, to treat cattle, horses, and sheep affected by ectoparasitic diseases. The study was conducted on clinically healthy bull calves and replacement young Holstein cattle of different sex in June and July 2025 in Moscow and on a farm in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. The animals were treated with the product individually, using a single, medium-volume spray of a 0.005% aqueous emulsion at a dose of 12.5 mL per 1 kg of body weight (five times the therapeutic dose). The control animals were not treated. Before and 5 days after treatment, the animals were weighed, their body temperature was measured, and blood samples were taken to study certain morphological and biochemical parameters using common methods.

Results and discussion. It was found that the study drug, if applied once to the animals' skin and fur at a fivefold increased dose during the experimental period, had no adverse effects on their general condition, physiological status, or behavior. No statistically significant changes were observed in morphological and biochemical blood parameters in the experimental cattle versus the control group.

The purpose of the research is to determine D-cyphenothrin and Pyriproxyfen residuals in blood serum and eggs of laying hens before and after their external treatment with an aqueous emulsion of insectoacaricide D-Cyphenothrin Combo.

Materials and methods. Six SP-789 laying hens were kept individually in cages. Blood samples were taken before treatment and at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours; eggs were collected before and for 5 days after the treatment that was conducted with a 0.005% aqueous emulsion of D-Cyphenothrin Combo in a fine droplet. The D-Cyphenothrin and Pyriproxyfen concentration in the samples was determined by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LCMS) with a Shimadzu LCMS-8050 GC-MS system and other laboratory equipment. The lower level of quantification (LLOQ) for D-Cyphenothrin was 25.0 ng/mL in blood serum of the chickens and 25.0 ng/g in the egg; and the LLOQ for Pyriproxyfen was 0.5 ng/mL in blood serum and 0.5 ng/g in the egg.

Results and discussion. One chicken was determined to have the Pyriproxyfen concentration above the LLOQ (0.760 ng/mL) in the blood serum 6 hours after treatment. All other samples obtained from SP-789 egg-laying hens showed the concentrations of D-Cyphenothrin and Pyriproxyfen below the LLOQ. Therefore, it can be assumed that the use of eggs was not limited for food purposes after external application of a cyphenothrin and pyriproxyfen drug. Piperonyl butoxide, which is part of D-Cyphenothrin Combo, was not found by the LCMS method due to the peculiarities of its chemical structure. Taking into account the drug composition, the quantitative content of its components, the usage procedure (external only), and the data of regulatory documents, an excess of Piperonyl butoxide in food products is not expected. In view of the above, the use of eggs from chickens after external treatment with a 0.005% aqueous emulsion of the studied drug for food purposes is not limited.