AN EPIDEMIO-COPROLOGICAL STUDY OF PROTOZOAN AND NEMATODE PARASITES OF RUMINANTS IN TROPICAL SEMI-ARID DISTRICT OF SOMALILAND (NORTHERN OF SOMALIA)

Abstract

The present study showed that the prevalence of gastrointestinalparasites in overall studied ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats) wherehighest 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 Homonchuscontortus 2.3% (n=30) respectively. For cattle, the overallprevalence was 30.9% (n=120) with highest by Trichsrtongylus Axei22.9% (n=89), Ascaris 3.6% (n=14), Lungworm 2.3% (n=9) andHomonchus 2.1% (n=8) respectively. For sheep, the overallprevalence was 60.7% (n= 282) with highest by Trichsrtongylus Axei30.5% (n=142), Lungworm 17.8% (n=83), Eimeria 9.3% (n=43), andHomonchus 2.6% (n=14) respectively. For goats, the overallprevalence was 47.8% (n=202) with highest by Trichsrtongylus Axei26.5% (n=112), Eimeria 11.6% (n=49), Lungworm 7.8% (n=33) and Homonchus 1.9% (n=8) respectively. Prevlence difference wererecorded in different studied regions where it was highest in Odweyne54.2% (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 males43.1% (n=262). For cattle, females were 34.3% (n=69) and males27.1% (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 thanthat of males. A statistically significant difference was found inprevalence and egg output (eggs per gram; EPG) among species ofanimals considered. A higher rate was recovered in small ruminantsthan in cattle, and a greater proportion of study animals had low EPGcompared with study animals with moderate to severe EPG. Theseverity of infestation (EPG%) in relation to species where examinedfor 1277 animals, overall prevalence was 47.3% (n=604), low was62.9% (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 withover all prevalence of 60.7% (n=282) where the low degree was61.7% (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 studiedregions with high degree (severe) in Burao 6.1% (n=26) regions(highest than other regions and lowest severity were found in Berberaregion 3.5% (n=8). The EPG% vary between males and females withlittle significance. Season were shown to have association withprevalence but not with EPG while no association was revealed between prevalence and EPG with sex, age, and body condition of theanimals. The EPG% vary between Dry season (May to October) andwet season (November to April) with significant variance as it wasmuch 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 sexare important risk factors associated with gastrointestinal parasites inthe studied regions. It was found that the prevalence of internalparasitic infections was higher in sheep 60.7% (n=282) than in goats47.8% (n=202). And small ruminant prevalence were higher than incattle 30.9% (n=120). The most prevalent gastrointestinal nematodewas in both host species Trichostrongylus axei.