Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine lungworm prevalence,  risk  factors  associated with  lungworm  infection  and  identification  of  species  of lungworm in sheep in Dangla district, North Western Ethiopia

Method and Materials: Faecal samples were randomly taken from 384 heads of sheep for examination of first stage larvae (L1) of lungworms using a modified Baerman technique.

Results: The overall prevalence of lungworm infection was 14.8% (57 of 384). The lungworm species identified were Dictyocaulus filaria  (D.  filaria),  Muellerius capillaris (M. capillaris) and Protostrongylus rufescens (P. rufescens) as single and mixed infection. The proportions of infection by D. filaria, M. capillaries, P. rufescens and mixed were 6.3%, 3.9%, 2.9% and 1.8% respectively. There was an infection rate of 15.6% in males and 14.3% in females but this difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The Lungworm infection observed in different body conditions was statistically significantly (P <0.05) in which higher prevalence was observed in sheep those have poor body condition. The infection rate of D. filarial, M. capillaries and P. rufescens infection did not show significant difference (p>0.05) among young (15.6%), adult (16.4%) and old (13.6%) age groups.

Statistics