A Survey of Helminth Parasites of Wild Birds in the University of Benin, Benin-city, Nigeria

Abstract

A study on the prevalence of helminth parasites of some wild birds’ species within the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria revealed parasites prevalence of 23.07% in the fifty-two birds examined. The birds examined in this study were Turdus pelios, Passer griseus, Cinnyris coccingatrus, Ploceus cuculatus, Apus affinis and with parasites prevalence of 0%, 9.0%, 16.67%, 29.03%, and 50.00%, respectively. The helminth parasites recovered included five species of nematodes: Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum, Subulura brumpti, Capillaria caudinflata and Dispharynx nasuta and  two  species  of  cestodes:  Choanotaenia infundibulum and  Raillietina tetragona. Nematodes were more abundant and had a total prevalence of (19.23%) while the prevalence of cestodes was 3.85%. All the parasites were recovered from the gastro-intestinal tract. Wild birds have been reported as potential source of infection and re-infection to man and his domestic animals. Therefore, migration of wild birds as a result of climate change may lead to change in hosts and parasites prevalence from one geographical region to another.

Keywords: Raillietina tetragona, Heterakis gallinarum, Turdus pelios, Passer griseus, Nigeria.