Seasonal variation of lungworm infestation of ewes at Sidi Bouzid slaughterhouse (Central Tunisia)
Corresponding Author
Date
2018-01-30Citation
Khawla Elati, Sabrine Aloui, Mokhtar Dhibi, Mourad Rekik, Mohamed Gharbi. (Accepted on 30/1/2018). Seasonal variation of lungworm infestation of ewes at Sidi Bouzid slaughterhouse (Central Tunisia). Revue d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux.
Abstract
Respiratory strongyloses are among the most important diseases affecting sheep
reared in various farming systems in many countries. In Tunisia, farmers without
any scientific background carry out the control of these parasites. A survey was performed in a slaughterhouse in Sidi Bouzid District (Central Tunisia) to assess the
prevalence of sheep infestation by lungworms. The study lasted 12 months and
involved 720 of the slaughtered ewes. Fecal samples from each ewe were collected
and examined by Baermann’s technique. Sixty-eight samples were infested with
pulmonary nematode larvae (9.4 ± 2.1%). The population was dominated by Protostrongylus rufescens (4.4 ± 1.5%), followed by Dictyocaulus filaria (2.6 ± 1.2%),
Cystocaulus ocreatus (1.3 ± 0.8%) and Neostrongylus linearis (1.3 ± 0.8%), and
finally Muellerius capillaris (0.3 ± 0.4%), whereas mixed infestations concerned 0.4
± 0.5% of samples. Lungworm infestation was observed in all age groups with no
significant difference (p = 0.64). In addition there was also no significant difference
in infestation between Barbarine (Berber) (10.8 ± 3.6%) and Queue fine de l’Ouest
(Western Thin Tail) (8.5 ± 2.6%; p = 0.31) sheep breeds. The lowest prevalence was
recorded in spring (6.7 ± 3.6%) and the highest in winter (11.7 ± 4.8%), but the
difference between seasons was not significant (p = 0.32). This study concerning
the activity dynamics of lungworms should be completed by a monitoring project to
determine the economic importance of these infestations and provide a solid basis
for the establishment of specific control programs against these parasites in Tunisia.
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- Agricultural Research Knowledge [12844]
Author(s) ORCID(s)
Rekik, Mouradhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7455-2017
Subject(s)
AGROVOC Keywords
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