In yers 1996-2000 fallow deer were examined in the area of north-western part of Poland (Pomeranian Lakeland). 295 fallow deer were examined and Lipoptena cervi was found on 220 of them; the prevalence was 75%, intensity ca 9.9 individuals.
A total of 356 Dama dama individuals (about 20% of the population inhabiting Pomerania, Poland) were examined over a period of 6 years (1996-2001). The fallow deer were found to act as hosts for 8 parasitic arthropod species belonging to 4 orders: Diptera (Lipoptena cervi), Mallophaga (Damalinia meyeri), Anoplura (Solenopotes burmeisteri) and Acari (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Sarcoptes scabiei, Chorioptes texanus, Demodex kutzeri). The extent of infestation was species-dependent; the highest prevalence (76%) was typical of L. cervi, followed by I. ricinus (29%) and D. meyeri (7%). On the other hand, the extent of infestation of small epidermal Acari was generally low, e.g., the prevalence of C. texanus did not exceed 1%. Despite the relatively high prevalences, the infestations were symptomless.