Prevalence of paramphistomes in camels slaughtered at Maiduguri, Nigeria

Abstract

A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence, identity and intensity of paramphistome flukes infecting camels
slaughtered in Maiduguri, Nigeria. A total of 100 camels were examined, of which 29 (29%) were infected, with a total
burden of 308. The common species harvested were Paramphistomum cervi with a burden of 105 (34.0%), Eurytrema
pancreaticum 73 (27.3%), Cotylophoron cotylophorum 77 (25.0%), and Gastrothylax crumenifer 53 (17.2%). Of the 35
males examined 8 (22.9%) were infected with a fluke burden of 108(35.1%) compared to the 65 females examined with 21
(32.3%) infected, and a fluke burden of 200(64.9%), however, there was no statistical significant difference infection between
sexes (p>0.05).Prevalence of infection based on the age of the camels examined showed that the groups of > 12 months had
27 (29.6%) with a fluke burden of 300(97.4%), while camels < 12 months had 2 (22.2%) with a fluke burden of 8(2.6%)(p>0.05).
The identification of paramphistomes based on their morphometry and predilection site revealed that P. cervi, C. cotylophorum,
E. pancreaticum and G. crumenifer had 9.4 x 2.4, 5.9 x 3.5, 6.4 x 3.1 and 12.0 x 6.8 mean sizes (length x breadth) in
millimeters (mm) respectively, wth P. cervi found in the rumen and reticulum, C. cotylophorum in the rumen, E. pancreaticum
in the bile ducts, and G. crumenifer in the rumen and reticulum. The results of this study indicate the significance of flukes to
camel production in this arid region of Nigeria

Keywords: paramphistomes flukes, morphometry and predilection sites, prevalence, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 28 (1) 2007: pp. 44-46