Abstract:
Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) is a protected species in Kazakhstan. Little is known about the parasitofauna of
these mammals. Therefore, the focus of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and species diversity of Eimeria
spp. infection in the Volga-Ural Saiga antelope population. In June 2023, 104 Saiga antelope fecal samples
collected from the district of Zhanibek, located in the province of West Kazakhstan were evaluated using
microscopic and molecular techniques. Based on coprovoscopy results, Eimeria spp. Oocysts were present in 22
samples (21%). The four fecal samples containing the largest numbers of Eimeria spp. Oocysts per 10x field were
selected for further genetic analysis. DNA extraction, nested PCR amplification, and sequencing were performed
on 91 clones, with 80 clones forming a distinct clade and exhibiting genetic similarity to MT801034 Eimeria sp.
Voucher HY3. These clones possibly represent an Eimeria specific to Saiga antelopes and gazelle that has previously been morphologically described as Eimeria elegans (Svanbaev, 1979), underscoring the importance of
further research into parasitic infections in this protected species.
