Eimeriosis in dairy cattle farms in Morogoro municipality of Tanzania.
Coccidial oocysts were detected in 35% of 445 cattle in four medium-scale and 20 small-scale dairy farms in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania. The highest prevalence (56%) was observed in animals aged between 5 and 18 months, whereas lower prevalences were observed in calves (29%) aged between 12 days and 4 months and adults (30%). No coccidial oocysts were detected in calves less than 12 days old. The oocyst output was high in calves, followed by weaners; adults had the lowest oocyst output. The number of oocysts per gram of faeces was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in diarrhoeic animals than in non-diarrhoeic animals, and more so in young calves. Eimeria species infecting the animals included Eimeria bovis (68%) and Eimeria zuernii (57%), Eimeria ellipsoidalis (25%), Eimeria cylindrica (23%), Eimeria auburnensis (22%), Eimeria alabamensis (12%) and Eimeria subspherica (5%). Mixed infections involving two or three species were common. Our findings indicate that eimeriosis is common in cattle in Morogoro municipality.
Chibunda
R T
RT
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
Muhairwa
A P
AP
Kambarage
D M
DM
Mtambo
M M
MM
Kusiluka
L J
LJ
Kazwala
R R
RR
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D004539:Eimeria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D015995:Prevalence; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology