Study on Prevalence of Lungworm Infection and Associated Risk Factors of Cattle and Sheep Slaughtered at Gondar Elfora Abattoir, North West Ethiopia

Abstract Background: Lungworms are parasitic nematode round worms that infest the lungs of ruminants. The infections have wide distribution in the world including Ethiopia. Epidemiological distribution of lung worm depends more on pasture contamination by carrier animals. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, postmortem findings and laboratory testing (detecting lungworm larvae in faces). The aims of this study were to determine the current prevalence, identifying the species and assess the possible risk factors of lung worm infection in cattle and sheep at Gondar Elfora abattoir.Result: Out of 500 animals (240 cattle and 260 sheep) both coprological and postmortem examination were conducted. The overall occurrence of lungworm infection in both cattle and sheep were 3.75% and 7.31% respectively. The prevalence of lung worm in cattle and sheep in ante mortem inspection with respiratory problem was 8.00% and 19.51% respectively. Coprological prevalence of infection: in young and adult age groups of cattle was 7.04% and 2.37% and in sheep 6.8% and 7.9% respectively. With regard to body condition (poor, medium and good) having the prevalence of 13.64%, 3.3% and 0.00% in cattle and 16.2%, 5.35% and 7.33% in sheep respectively. It has significant difference with body condition score of cattle and sheep (p<0.05 The occurrence of identified lung worm in cattle was Dictyocaulus viviparous (3.75%); in sheep Dictyocaulus filaria (52.63%) higher than Muellerius capillaries (36.84%) followed by Protostrongylus rufescens(10.53%). Over all prevalence in cattle and sheep were 1.67% and 8.08% respectively. Finding with respect to young and adult age groups of cattle was 4.23%, 0.59%, and in sheep 7.48% and 8.85%. The identified lung worm species in sheep, mixed infection (42.85%) was higher than Dictyocaulus filarial (28.57%) followed by Muellerius capillaries (19.05%) and Protostrongylus rufescens (9.52%). Conclusions: Generally lungworm infection has a great effect on animal health and production. It needs emphasis to prevent and control to overcome this problem.