Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths on equines in and around Debre Markos, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted from October-2013 to June-2014 in and around Debre Markos, Ethiopia to assess the major gastrointestinal helminthes of equines (donkeys and horses), to determine their prevalence and find associations between measurable parameters and parasites burden. A total of 384 faecal samples (215 donkeys and 169 horses) were collected randomly for qualitative and quantitative faecal analysis. The overall prevalence of different parasites was found to be 86.51%  in donkeys and 78.10%  in horses. In the study area, 3.87% of donkeys and 6.13% of horses harbored only one type of parasite (single infection), whereas 96.13% of donkeys and 93.87% of horses harbored two or more types of parasites (mixed infection). The parasites encountered in both donkeys and horses in the study period were Strongyles (75.27% and 59.85%), T. strongylus axei (41.94% and 40.15), T. dontophorus (43.01% and 34.85) P. equorum (18.82 and 18.94) and Fasciola (22.58% and 18.94), respectively. Based on sex only the prevalence rate of strongyle was statistically significant (p<0.05) in both donkeys and horses. The prevalence of T. strongylus, T. dontophorus, P. equorom and Fasciola was statistically significant (p<0.05) between age groups of donkeys, but only the prevalence of T . s trongly was statistically significant (p<0.05) between age groups of horses. Parasitism and other health problems were identified affecting the health and welfare of equines. Government or other development agencies should include donkeys and horses in their priority lists of research and develop sustainable prevention and control methods that would prevent the high transmission of gastrointestinal helminths and other parasites of equines.