Prevalence, Associated Risk Factors, and Identification of the Genera of Equine Strongyles in Horses and Donkeys in and Around Bishoftu, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Equines play a significant role in the economy of the country. Besides their importance, equines face several challenges mainly helminth infections. Of these strongyle parasites are the most common, particularly in the study area. Thus, a cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2022 to July 2022 to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors and to identify the genera of equine strongyle parasites in and around Bishoftu. A total of 364 equines were randomly selected from five different areas and subjected to coprological examination using the floatation technique to detect strongyle-type eggs. A pooled faecal sample was cultured and subjected to modified Baerman techniques to identify the genus of strongyles. The overall prevalence of strongyle parasites was found to be 56.6% with an occurrence rate of 54.7% in horses and (65.2%) in donkeys. According to the present study, the two important genera identified were Strongylus and Cyathostomum. A higher prevalence of strongyle parasites was recorded in poor body condition (64%), adult (59.3%), female (70.7), and Kality (22%). Among the potential risk factors analyzed, the body condition score of the equines was significantly associated with strongyle infection (χ ² = 76.536 and p ≤ 0.001), while sex, species, age, and origins were not significantly associated with the prevalence of infection (χ ² = 2.644 and p = 0.266), (χ ² = 2.404 and p = 0.121), (χ ² = 0.609 and p = 0.435), and (χ ² = 3.205 and p = 0.524), respectively. In conclusion, strongyle parasites pose a major health problem for equines in the study area. They should focus on improving housing, increasing welfare awareness, implementing seasonal deworming, and enhancing the feeding practices of equines.