[Occurrence of microfilariae Dipetalonema rugosicauda (Bohm and Supperer, 1953) in deer and selected hunting grounds]

Examinations were carried out in Białowieska Forest, Borecka Forest, Lower Silesian Forest, woods in Olsztyn District, Słowiński National Park, and in experimental hunting areas of the Forest Research Institute in Iława and of the Warsaw Agricultural University in Rogów. Samples of the skin from the ear and nose were taken from 136 shot roe deers. Skin samples were cut into 1-2 mm pieces, incubated in a physiological solution in 25 degrees C for 24 hours and examined for the presence of microfilariae. Microfilariae of Dipetalonema rugosicauda were found in roe deers in all examined hunting grounds. Prevalence of invasion oscillated from 6.6% to 57.1%. The wide dispersion of D. rugosicauda in Poland is caused by common occurrence in our country of the intermediate host and vector of this nematode--tick Ixodes ricinus.