Prevalence of Lungworm Infection of Small Ruminants in and Around Sebeta Town, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Lungworm infection is one of the common parasitic diseases that affect small ruminants. It causes great economic losses due to decrement in production and productivity gained from these animals. There was limited information related to this disease in these animals in the study area. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and species of lungworms in small ruminants and to assess the possible risk factors associated with lungworm infection. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 to May 2020 on small ruminants selected by a simple random sampling technique in and around Sebeta town, central Ethiopia. A total of 406 animals (259 sheep and 147 goats) were sampled and examined to determine lungworm infection prevalence and its species identification. The study showed that 13.8% (56/406) of an overall prevalence of lungworm infection was found in the study area. In another way, a higher prevalence was observed in sheep 18.1% (47/259) than in goats 6.1% (9/147) and there was a significant association (X2=11.4, p<0.05) between them. Similarly, 14.7% (37/ 251) and 12.3% (19/155), 15.7% (21/134) and 11.7% (16/137), and 14.2% (35/147) and 13.2% (21/159) prevalence were determined between female and male, young and adult, non-dewormed and dewormed animals respectively, but they were not significantly associated with lungworm infection. However, 17.6% (13/74), 13.5% (28/207), and 12% (15/125) prevalence was calculated among poor, good, and medium body-conditioned animals respectively and the difference was not statistically significant (X2=1.24, p>0.05). Dictyocaulus filaria was the only species of lungworm identified in both sheep and goats. This study revealed that lungworm infection was prevalent and affected the production and productivity of small ruminants in the study area significantly.