Abstract

A study on gastrointestinal helminth parasites (GIHPs) in cattle and sheep was conducted from January 2021 to December 2021 in the urban and peri-urban areas of the Ada’a District of Central Ethiopia. The aim was to estimate the prevalence of GIHPs and associated risk factors, and to assess community awareness of anthelmintic treatment practices for the control of parasitic diseases. The methodology comprised of random cross-sectional studies on animals using conventional parasitological techniques, flotation and sedimentation methods, and questionnaire surveys. In total, 351 animals (192 cattle and 159 sheep) were examined. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites (GIHPs) was 61.25%. The highest prevalence of parasite infection was found to be 68.55% in sheep and 55.21% in cattle, with a statistically significant difference (0.001<P-value) between the two animal species. Helminth parasite eggs with strongyle eggs (55.34%) were predominantly recorded, suggesting a high rate of animals infection with nematodes, followed by Fasciola eggs (13.48%) among trematode infections, and comparatively lower infection was observed with Toxocara vitolorum eggs (2.79%), Moniezia eggs (10.69%) and with mixed infections (10.69%) of the study animals. Body condition scores and production systems were significantly associated with the incidence of GIT helminths along with animal species variation. The questionnaire survey revealed that ivermectin was the most widely used anthelmintic compared to albendazole, tetramisole, and levamisole. The results implied that transmission requires a shared habitat, where host animals have access to the same resources, such as pasture or watering holes. In certain situations, additional requirements might be necessary, including the requirement for a suitable intermediate host. Further studies are recommended to design a rationale for the sustainable management of GI parasite infections in domestic animals in local regions, particularly in terms of both urban and peri-urban practices of the study areas.

Key words: Nematodes, prevalence, cattle, sheep, trematode, moniezia, Ethiopia.