Occurrence of gastro-intestinal helminths of pigs slaughtered at the Jos Abattoir, Plateau state, Nigeria.

Abstract

An investigation on the occurrence of gastro intestinal helminthes of pigs slaughtered at the Jos Abattoir was carried out between May and November 2007, to determined sex, age, and breed related rate of infection, and the possible risk factors to the spread of the epidemic, using direct smear and floatation techniques. Out of the total of 532 examined, 245 (46.10%) were positive for five species of helminthes parasites, namely Taenia solium 44(8.27%) Ascaris suum 52(9.77%), Trichuris suis 40(7.52%) Strongyloids ransomi 16(3.0%) Ascarops strongylina 28(5.26%). Of the 532 pigs sampled, 65(12.22%) were recorded with mixed infection. The parasites were more established in the female pigs 149(50%) than in the male pigs 96(41.02%) However, chi square analysis showed no significant difference in the prevalence rate between female and male pigs (p>0.05). Apparently adult pigs haboured more of the helminthes parasites 240(57.14%) than the young pigs 41(36.61%) although the difference was not statistically significance. The large white breed was infected most, among the various breeds 239(48.28%). The infection rate for the large black was 2(26.67%) and for the mixed breed was 4(20.00%). There was no significant difference in the infection rate among the various breed of pigs (p>0.05). The study shows that breeds and sex are not the promoting factors to infection rate but age.

Keywords: Endemicity, Gastro-intestinal, Helminths, Occurrence, Pigs.