Cross-sectional study on gastro-intestinal parasites of equids in South-western Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted in Jimma town from October 2010 to March 2011 with the objective of determining the status of intestinal nematode parasites of equids, and the association of different variables with infection rate. To address this, a total of 400 equids; donkeys (n = 29), horses (n = 317) and mules (n = 54) were used in this study and based on the coprological examination to identify parasite eggs, three species of nematodes were identified with an overall prevalence of 72.25%. A prevalence of 63.25%, 16.50%, 4.25%, and 10.75% were identified for Strongyles, Parascaris equorum, Oxyuris equi, and mixed infection respectively. Highest to lowest prevalence of Strongyles (63.72, 51.85 and 79.31%), P. equorum (17.98, 12.96 and 6.89%) and O. equi (5.04, 1.85 and 0.00%) were observed in horse, mule and donkey, respectively. The statistical analysis between the species of equine and strongyle infection rate, body condition scores with strongyle and P. equorum infection rate (p < 0.05). However, species of the animal was not significantly associated with P. equorum (p < 0.05). The infection rate of O. equi was not significantly associated with body condition score, age and species of equines (p > 0.05 for all variables) and no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the prevalence of intestinal nematodes and sex of the animal was showed. Therefore, the present study revealed that intestinal nematodes are an important health problem in the area affecting the wellbeing and productivity of equids.