Gastro-intestinal Helminths of Domestic Chickens Gallus gallus domestica and Ducks Anas platyrhynchos Slaughtered at Gombe Main Market, Gombe State, Nigeria

摘要

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminths in domestic chickens and ducks slaughtered at the Gombe main market, Gombe State, Nigeria. Faecal samples from 150 chickens and 150 ducks, comprising of 75 male and 75 female samples of each host species, were collected from the dressing unit of the market and examined in the laboratory for helminths, using the intestinal scrapping method. The overall prevalence of helminths was 81.0% in chickens and 4.7% in ducks. Moreinfections with cestodes were recorded in both host species. The helminths identified from chickens comprised Railleitina tetragona 52 (34.7%), R. cesticillus 32 (21.3%), R. echinobothrida 38 (25.3%), R. magninumida 5 (3.3%), Amoebotaenia cuneata 6 (4.0%), Hymenolepis carioca 18 (12.0%) and Ascaridia galli 16 (10.7%), while helminths identified from ducks comprised R. cesticullus 4 (2.7%), R. magninumida 5 (3.3%), Hymenolepis carioca 2 (1.3%) and Ascaridia galli 1 (0.7%). The males of both host species67 (89.3%) and 4 (5.3%), respectively were more infected than the females 55 (73.3%) and 3 (4.0%), respectively. Chi square test revealed no significant difference (p>0.05) in the infection rates between the sexes. Eighty (53.3%) of the chickens had single infections, 38 (25.3%) had double infections and 4 (2.7%) had triple infections while in ducks, 3 (2.0%) had single infections, 3 (2.0%) had double infections and 1 (0.7%) had triple infection. The study revealed that helminths are common parasites ofchickens and ducks in Gombe and could be an impediment to their production in the area.