Study of gastro-intestinal helminths of scavenging chickens in four rural districts of Amhara region, Ethiopia.
A total of 267 rural scavenging chickens were examined from October 1998 to August 1999 in four woredas (districts) of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Of these chickens, 243 (91.01%) were found to harbour one to nine different helminth parasites and 24 (8.99%) were free of helminth parasites. A significant difference (P < 0.01) was found between the prevalence rates of helminth parasites in the different agro-ecological zones; the highest prevalence was observed in the lowland areas. This suggests that agro-ecology has a major influence on the distribution of helminth parasites. Nematodes recovered included Heterakis gallinarum (17.28%), Subulura brumpti (17.60%), Ascaridia galli (35.58%), Cheilospirura hamulosa (0.75%) and Dyspharynx spiralis (2.62%). The principal cestode species encountered were Raillietina echinobothrida (25.84%), Raillietina tetragona (45.69%), Raillietina cesticillus (5.62%), Amoebotaenia sphenoides (40.45%), Davainea proglottina (1.12%) and Choanotaenia infundibulum (4.49%).
Eshetu
Y
Y
Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute, P.O. Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Mulualem
E
E
Ibrahim
H
H
Berhanu
A
A
Aberra
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health