Prevalence, intensity and spectrum of helminths of free range pigs in Homabay District, Kenya

摘要

Across-sectionalstudywasconductedtodeterminetheprevalence,intensityandspectrumofhelminthsoffreerangepigsinHomabayDistrict,Kenya.Faecalsamplesfrom372pigswereexaminedusingthemodifiedMcMastertechniqueandpost-mortemexaminationof30pigscarriedout.nbsp;Outofthe372pigsexamined,308(83%)wereexcretingnematodeeggs.ThenematodeeggsencounteredwerethoseofStrongyles(75%),Strongyloidesspp(26.6%),Trichurisspp(7.8%),Ascarisspp(5.4%)andMetastrongylusspp(0.3%).CoprocultureofStrongyle-typenematodeeggpositivefaecalsamplesrevealedthepresenceofOesophagostomumspp(74%),Hyostrongylusrubidus(22%)andTrichostrongylusspp(4%).Thepost-mortemexaminationrevealedpresenceofHyostrongylusrubidus,Physocephalussexalatus,Trichostrongylusaxei,Ascarissuum,Oesophagostomundentatum,TrichurissuisandMetastrongyluspudendodectus.Thehighestprevalenceofhelminthinfectionswasrecordedinfinishers(88%)andthelowestinadults(79%).Thehighestmeanhelmintheggpergramoffaeces(epg)wasrecordedinadults(1,175)andthelowestwasinpiglets(526).PigsfromRianadivisionhadthehighestprevalence(91%)ofinfectionandmeanepg(1,109),whilethosefromAsegoDivisionhadthelowestprevalence(50%)andmeanepg(100).Femalepigsrecordedahighermeanepg(567)comparedtomales(416).AgehadsignificantinfluenceoninfectionwithStrongyles(p=0.04)withgrowersandfinishersrecordinghigherlevelsofinfectionthanadults.SexhadsignificanteffectontheprevalenceofinfectionswithStrongyles(p=0.028)andAscarissuum(p=0.012)withfemalesrecordinghigherlevelsofinfectionthanmales.DivisionoforiginofpigshadsignificantinfluenceontheprevalenceofinfectionwithAscarissuum(p=0.000)andStrongyles(p=0.000)withthemeanepgsforRianaandNdhiwadivisionsbeingsignificantlyhigherthanthoseofPalaDivision.Thisstudyindicatesthathelminthsarehighlyprevalentinthestudyareawithlowtomoderatelevelsofinfectionsandmaybeoneofthecontributingfactorstolowproductivity.Therefore,thereisneedtoformulateappropriatecontrolmeasuresfortheparasitesinordertoincreaselivestockproductivity.nbsp;