Prevalence of Pathogenic Intestinal Parasites and Enteropathogenic Bacteria in Faecal Samples Obtained from Abattoirs in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites and enteropathogenic bacteria in fecal effluents from abattoir. A total of 162 samples were examined out of which 70 faecal samples were collected from cow, 35 from pig, 35 from goat and 22 from sheep. These samples were processed using standard parasitological techniques ( macroscopy, microscopy; the Formol-ether concentration technique and zinc sulphate floatation technique) and bacteriological (culture, Gram reaction and biochemical characterization). Data was analyzed using Chi-square test. One hundred and eleven (111) samples were found positive with one or more parasites giving an overall prevalence of 68.5%. Pigs recorded the highest prevalence of 77.1% for intestinal parasites, followed by goat and cow with prevalence of 68.6% and 65.7% respectively and the least prevalence was observed in sheep, 63.6%. The prevalence of different parasites encountered include Fasciolopsis buski (8.6%), Hookworm (8.0%), Ascaris suum (7.4%), Balantidium coli (7.4%), Fasciola hepatica (7.4%), Entamoeba histolytica (7.4%), Taenia species (6.2%), Fasciola gigantica (4.3%) and Toxocara species (1.2%). Mixed infections of Balantidium coli+Entamoeba histolytica has the highest frequency of 4(2.5%) followed by Entamoeba histolytica+Hookworm and Toxocara species+Balantidium coli with the frequency of 3(1.9%) each, Ascaris suum+Taenia species, Ascaris suum+Taenia species+Hookworm and Balantidium coli+Fasciola hepatica with a frequency of 2(1.2%) each and Toxocara species+Balantidium coli recorded the lowest frequency of 1(0.6%). Also the prevalence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and yeast cells encountered include Bacillus species (29.6%), Escherichia coli (23.5%), Campylobacter species (17.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.1%), Staphylococcus aureus (10.5%), Yeast cells (4.9%) and Staphylococcus species (3.1%). This study shows high degrees of fecal contamination of intestinal parasites and bacterial agents. As a result of this sanitary measures and Government policy should be strictly employed as this will go a long way to help check environmental contamination and reduce potential risks posed by these pathogens.