An epidemio-coprological study of protozoan and nematode parasites of ruminants in tropical semi-arid district of somaliland (northern of somalia)‎

Abstract EN

The present study showed that the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in overall studied ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats) where highest with Trichsrtongylus Axei 26.9 % (n = 343), Lungworm Dictyocaulus spp.) 9.8%, (n = 125), Eimeria (Coccidia) 7.2% (n = 92), Ascaris (Neoscaris vitulorum) 3.6 % (n = 14), and Homonchus contortus 2.3 % (n = 30) respectively.

For cattle, the overall prevalence was 30.9 % (n = 120) with highest by Trichsrtongylus Axei 22.9 % (n = 89), Ascaris 3.6 % (n=14), Lungworm 2.3 % (n = 9) and Homonchus 2.1 % (n = 8) respectively.

For sheep, the overall prevalence was 60.7 % (n = 282) with highest by Trichsrtongylus Axei 30.5 % (n =142), Lungworm 17.8 % (n = 83), Eimeria 9.3 % (n = 43), and Homonchus 2.6 % (n = 14) respectively.

For goats, the overall prevalence was 47.8 % (n = 202) with highest by Trichsrtongylus Axei 26.5 % (n = 112), Eimeria 11.6% (n=49), Lungworm 7.8% (n=33) and Homonchus 1.9 % (n = 8) respectively.

Prevlence difference were recorded in different studied regions where it was highest in Odweyne 54.2 % (n = 149), Burao 50.2 % (n=213), Sheikh 45.1 % (n=156), followed by Berbera 37.1 % (n = 86) respectively.

According to sex prevalence for females were higher 51.1 % (n = 342) than males 43.1 % (n = 262).

For cattle, females were 34.3 % (n=69) and males 27.1 % (n = 51).

For sheep, females 63.9% (n =161) and males 56.8 % (n=121).

For goats, females 51.9 % (n = 112) and males 43.5 % (n = 90) however, the higher prevalence in females was not significant than that of males.

A statistically significant difference was found in prevalence and egg output (eggs per gram ; EPG) among species of animals considered.

A higher rate was recovered in small ruminants than in cattle, and a greater proportion of study animals had low EPG compared with study animals with moderate to severe EPG.

The severity of infestation (EPG %) in relation to species where examined for 1277 animals, overall prevalence was 47.3 % (n = 604), low was 62.9 % (n = 380), moderate 26.7 % (n = 161), and severe was 10.4 % (n=63).

Cattle examined were 389 with over all prevalence of 30.9 % (n = 120) where the low degree was 68.3% (n = 82), moderate 25.0 % (n = 30) and severe was 6.7 % (n = 8).

Sheep examined were 465 with over all prevalence of 60.7 % (n = 282) where the low degree was 61.7 % (n = 174), moderate 28.4% (n=80) and severe was 9.9 % (n = 28).

Goats examined were 423 with over all prevalence of 47.8 % (n = 202) where the low degree was 61.4 % (n = 124), moderate 25.2 % (n = 51) and severe was 13.4 % (n = 27).

The EPG % vary among studied regions with high degree (severe) in Burao 6.1 % (n = 26) regions (highest than other regions and lowest severity were found in Berbera region 3.5 % (n = 8).

The EPG % vary between males and females with little significance.

Season were shown to have association with prevalence but not with EPG while no association was reveale between prevalence and EPG with sex, age, and body condition of the animals.

The EPG % vary between Dry season (May to October) and wet season (November to April) with significant variance as it was much higher in wet season 54.1 % (n = 457) than in dry season 34.0 % (n = 147).

Hence, in this study, species of the animals, season, and sex are important risk factors associated with gastrointestinal parasites in the studied regions.

It was found that the prevalence of internal parasitic infections was higher in sheep 60.7 % (n = 282) than in goats (48.8 % (n = 202).

And small ruminant prevalence were higher than in cattle 30.9 % (n = 120).

The most prevalent gastrointestinal nematode was in both host species Trichostrongylus axei.