Prevalence and Factors Associated with Small Ruminant’s Lungworm Infection in and around Mekelle Town, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November, 2016 to April, 2017 to estimate the prevalence of lungworm infection and its associated risk factors, and to identify predominant species of lungworms in small ruminants in and around Mekelle town, Tigray, northern Ethiopia. In this study both coproscopic examination and Berman techniques were employed on a total of 384 fecal samples of small ruminants (218 sheep and 166 goats) of different age groups and both sexes. The overall prevalence of lungworm infection in small ruminant was found to be 23.4%, where goats (25.9%) were more susceptible than sheep (21.6%). In the present study the highest prevalence was observed in goats (25.9%) than in sheep (21.6%). Regarding age, the highest prevalence was observed in animals <1 years (31.7%), followed by 1-3 years (23.5%) and >3 years (18.2%). Animals with poor body condition have higher prevalence than (27.5%), medium (26%) and good (18.1%) ones. Furthermore, animals kept under extensive management system have highest prevalence (25.8%) than those kept under semi-intensive management system (17.7%). The study revealed that there was no statistical significant difference (p>0.05) between prevalence of lungworm infection and risk factors such as species, age, sex, body condition and management system. In the present study Dictyocaulus filarial was found to be the highest in prevalence (11.4%) followed by Muellerius capillaris (6.25%); while Protostrongylus rufescens was found the least prevalent (4.16%) and mixed infection (1.04%) and the difference was statistical significant (p<0.05). Hence, it was concluded that lungworm infection is quite prevalent in the present study and warrants implementation of economically acceptable control measures both on the hosts and the intermediate host.