Background and purpose: Wild boars (Sus scrofa) are potential reservoirs for a lot of zoonotic diseases, so it is possible to transmit these infections to wild and domestic animals and also humans. This research aimed to survey the protozoan prevalence of Sus scrofa in Mazandaran Province, North of Iran.
Materials and methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study a total of 21 wild boars was captured beween December 2012 and March 2014. Faeces collected from the intestinal tracts of each animal was placed in appropriate fixative. Temporary staining with Lugol’s solution was performed in order to find the protozoan cysts and trophozoites. The stool samples were further studied using sedimentation and flotation methods. Then, fixed stool smears were examined by trichrome and Ziehl–Neelsen staining.
Results: There were 21 samples of which 12 (57.14%) were found to be infected with one or more protozoan species. The prevalence of contamination with intestinal protozoan was as follows: 33.33% trophozoites and cysts of Balantidium coli, 28.57% oocysts of Eimeria spp., and 9.52% cysts of Giardia spp.
Conclusion: According to current findings, wild boars in Mazandaran province are infected with a lot of zoonotic protozoan, which create potential risks for other animals and people in the region.