Survey of Gastro-intestinal and Ectoparasites of Games in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Games are wild animals often referred to as “bushmeat” when killed, primarily for personal consumption and/or monetary exchange.  Parasites of games, such as protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites, have not always been reported; however, they are essentially  zoonotic, thereby putting animal and human populations at risk whenever present. The lack of information on these parasites, as well as  the danger of their presence, necessitated this study to provide baseline data regarding the area, as well as information on possible  zoonosis at the human-animalenvironment interface. Physical examination was conducted on animals brought from hunting sprees to  the “bushmeat” market during which all visible ectoparasites were harvested and were kept in 70% ethanol, samples were harvested  from portions of the gastrointestinal tract of freshly killed games and transferred into well-labelled containers by ligation of each portion  to assay for Gastrointestinal Parasites (GIP). The samples were analysed using centrifugal flotation for GIP and morphology for  ectoparasite identification. Grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) and Antelope (Maxwell’s duiker, Philantomba maxwellii) were  examined during the study period, with 90.9% and 66.7% mixed and 9% and 25% mono infections, respectively. GIPeggs were Strongyle  (36.4%, 25%), Trichuris (45.5%, 16.7%), Haemonchus (18.2%, 16.7%), Strongyloides (18.2%, 16.7%), Ascaridia (9%, 16.7%), and Eimeria  (63.6%, 75%) in Grasscutter and Antelope, respectively, whereas Moniezia (25%), Taenia (16,7%), and Hookworm (18.2%) occurred only in  the antelope, with the highest infection in the ileum and colon (63.6%), and rectum (83%) of Grasscutter and antelope, respectively. Four  genera of ticks were identified: Amblyomma (41%), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (20.5%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (17.9%),  Haemaphysalis (12.8%), and Hyalomma (7.7%). The presence of zoonotic GIP and ticks, which are known vectors of various diseases, calls  for further studies, education, and awareness among the hunting community.