EN
The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in mink. A preliminary investigation was conducted on nine Polish mink farms (approx. 510,000 animals surveyed). One hundred and five aggregated samples of mink feces were randomly collected and examined by flotation coproscopy and McMaster’s method. Although coccidia oocysts (of unrecognized genera) were detected in samples from all the farms, the intensity of infections was low (OPG from 0 to 5500). Data concerning the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in farm mink in Poland may constitute an important contribution to a research-based explanation of the actual role of mink in the transmission of parasitic zoonoses. It is worth noting that although coprological investigations showed a widespread prevalence of coccidian infections in these animals, no developmental forms of other intestinal parasites, such as the eggs of roundworms occurring in carnivores, were found. These results suggest that adequately prepared (e.g. composted) mink manure can be used instead of chemical fertilizers as a valuable natural fertilizer for arable crops without creating a hazard for humans.