Ovine coccidiosis: prevalence and associated risk factors inand around Addis-Zemen, Northwest Ethiopia

This cross-sectional study was conducted in and around Addis-Zemen from November 2014 to April 2015 to determine the prevalence of ovine coccidiosis and to identify associated risk factors. Faecal samples were collected directly from the rectum of 384 randomly selected animals. A centrifugal faecal flotation technique using saturated salt solution was used to detect Eimeria oocysts. Out of 384 samples, only 88 were found to contain Eimeria oocysts. Eimeria infection was recorded in all age and sex groups of the study animals. A strong significant association was observed (P< 0.05) between Eimeria infection and the faecal consistency, production system, hygienic status, age, and body condition of the sampled animals. However, an insignificant (P> 0.05) association was recorded between Eimeria infection and the origins and sex of the animals. Eimeria infection is likely to become a more important problem in small ruminants and will have great significance for producers in the future, as the increasing scarcity of land for grazing is forcing people to adopt more intensive management systems. Therefore, planning an effective control and prevention programme is essential if the well-being and productivity of sheep are to be maintained.

PDF

___

1. MOA. Ethiopia Animal Health Yearbook 2011/2012. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Ministry of Agriculture; 2012.
2. Ayele D. Prevalence and associated risk factors of major sheep gastrointestinal parasites. Livest Res Rur Devel2014; 26:1-6.
3. Seyoum Z, Tadesse T, Addisu A. Ectoparasites of prevalence in small ruminants in and around Sekela, Amhara regional State, Northwest Ethiopia. J Vet Med 2015: 1-6, Article ID: 216085.
4. Ayana D, Tilahun G, Wossene A. Study on Eimeria and Cryptosporidium infections in sheep and goats at Elfora export abattoir, Debre-Zeit, Ethiopia. Turk J Vet Anim Sci 2009; 33: 367-371.
5. Kaya G. Prevalence of Eimeria species in Lambs in Antakya Province. Turk J Vet Anim Sci 2004; 28: 687-692.
6. Maratea KA, Miller MA. Abomasal coccidiosis associated with proliferative abomasitis in sheep. J Vet Diag Invest2007; 19: 118-121.
7. Nourollahi-Fard SR, Khedri J, Ghashghaei O, Mohammadyari N, Sharifi H. The prevalence of ovine Eimeria infection in Rudsar, North of Iran, (2011-2012). J Parasit Dis2014; DOI 10.1007/s12639-0613-5.
8. Yakhchali M, Golami E. Eimeria infection (Coccidia: Eimeriidae) in sheep of different age groups in Sanandaj city, Iran. Vet Arhiv2008; 78: 57-64
9. Radostitis OM, Gay C, Constable PD, Hinchcliff KW. Disease associated with protozoa. In: Veterinary MedicineA Textbook of the Diseases of Horse, Sheep, Pig, and Goat. 10th ed. London, UK: Harcourt Publishers Ltd; 2007. pp. 1498-1506.
10. Khan MN, Rehman T, Iqbal Z, Sajid MS, Ahmad M, Riaz M. Prevalence and associated risk factors of Eimeria in Sheep of Punjab, Pakistan. World Acad Sci Eng Tech2011; 5: 334-338.
11. Taylor MA, Coop RL, Wall RL. Veterinary Parasitology. 3rd ed. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing; 2007. pp. 203-476.
12. Reza K, Saeid R, Zeinab Y. Prevalence and pathology of coccidiosis in goats in southeastern Iran. J Parasit Dis2014; 38: 27-31.
13. Toulah FH. Prevalence and comparative morphological study of four Eimeria species of sheep in Jeddah area, Saudi Arabia. J Biol Sci 2007; 7: 413-416.
14. Yakhchali M, Rezaei AA. The prevalence and associated intensity of Eimeria species infection in sheep of Malayer, Iran. Arch Razi Inst 2010; 65: 27-32.
15. Hari O, Kumar S, Singh P. Prevalence of coccidia in Mathura Region of Uttarpradesh. Vet World2010;3: 503-505.
16. Thrusfield. Veterinary Epidemiology. 3rd ed. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Sciences Ltd.; 2007. pp: 232-245.
17. ESGPIP. Ethiopian Sheep and Goats Productivity Improvement Program. Common defects of sheep and goat skin in Ethiopia and their causes. Technical Bulletin no. 19, 2009.
18. Steele M. Goats (The Tropical Agriculturalist). London, UK: Macmillan Education; 1996.19. Urquhart GM, Armour J, Duncan AM, Jennings FW. Veterinary Parasitology. 4th ed. Glasgow, UK: Blackwell Science; 1996.
20. Ntonitor HN, Shei J, Ndaleh NW, Mbunkr GN. Epidemiological studies of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in ruminants in Cameroon. J Vet Med Anim Hlth2013;5: 344-352.
21. Kanyari P, Kagira J, Mhoma R. Prevalence and intensity of endoparasites in small ruminants in Kisumu, Kenya. Livest Res Rur Devel2009;26.
22. Altaf AR, Hidayatu, A. Study of some potential risk factors associated with coccidia in sheep. J Agr Vet Sci2014; 65: 11-13.
23. Abebe W, Rahmeto A, Bersisa K Epidemiology of Eimeriainfections in calves in Addis Ababa and Debre-Zeit dairy farms, Ethiopia. Int J App Res Vet Med2008; 6: 24-30.
24. Heidari H, Sadeghi-Dehkordi Z, Moayedi R, Gharekhani J. Occurrence and diversity of Eimeria species in cattle in Hamedan province, Iran. Vet Med2014; 59: 271-275.
25. Lughano K. Diseases of Small Ruminants: A Handbook: Common Diseases of Sheep and Goats in sub-Saharan Africa. VETAID; 1996. pp. 87-93.
26. Daugschies A, Najdrowski M. Eimeriosis in cattle: current understanding. J Vet Med B2005; 52: 417-427.
27. Maingi N, Munyua WK. The prevalence and intensity of infection with Eimeria species in sheep in Nyandarua district of Kenya.Vet Res Commun 1994; 18: 19-25.
28. Craig BH, Pilkington JG, Kruuk LEB, Pemberton, JM. Epidemiology of parasitic protozoan infections in Soay sheep (Ovis aries L.) on St Kilda. Parasit2007;134: 9-21.
29. Lopes WDZ, Borges FDA, Faiolla TDP, Antunes LT, Borges DGL, Rodriguez FDS, Feraro, G, Texeira WF et al. Eimeriaspecies in young and adult sheep raised under intensive and / or semi-intensive systems of a herd from Umuarama city, Parana State, Brazil. Ciência Rur Santa Maria 2013; 43: 2031-2036.
30. Rehman TU, Khan MN, Sajid MS, Abbas RZ, Arshad M, Iqbal Z, Iqbal A. Epidemiology of Eimeria and associated risk factors in cattle of district Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan. Parasit Res2011; 108: 1171-1177.
31. Bartley T. Treatment and prevention of coccidiosis in small ruminants. Mordem Found2010;38: 5-8.