Studies on ectoparasites of poultry in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the ectoparasites of poultry in Maiduguri, Nigeria, between May and July 2005. Of the eight hundred and fifty (850) birds examined, 129 (15.2%) were infested. Species identified were Argas persicus 93 (72.1%),
Gonioides gigas 16 (12.4%), Menacanthus stramineus 12 (9.3%), and Lipeurus caponis 8 (6.2%) (p<0.05). Prevalence of infestation based on the sex, age, breed, colour, management system, and predilection site showed that of female chickens to
be higher 87 (15.4%), than for males 42 (14.7%) (p>0.05). Adult birds had a higher 90 (15.7%) infestation than young birds 39 (14.2%) (p>0.05), local chickens were more 107 (28.2%) infested than exotic breeds 12 (2.6%) (p<0.05). The wings, skin,
shaft, and breast had 35 (17.5%), 40 (19.1%), 29 (13.2%), and 25 (11.4%) prevalence respectively (p>0.05), while black, white, and brown-coloured chickens had 30 (15.0%), 30 (20.0%), and 69 (13.8%) respectively (p<0.05). Infestation was highest among extensively managed birds 117 (21.3%), compared to both intensive and semi-intensive which had 0.1% each (p<0.05). Distribution of infestation based on age, sex, breed, colour, management, and predilection site showed that Argas persicus occurred more on male, adult, and local breeds with 38 (13.3%), 80 (13.9%), and 90 (23.7%) prevalence rates
respectively. The preferred site of infestation by A. persicus is the wings, 30 (15.0%) while white-coloured birds were particularly more 20 (13.3%) infested. The louse Gonioides gigas was more 12 (2.1%) on females, young 6 (2.2%), and local 16 (4.2%) with a preference to the wings 8 (4.0%) of those birds as infection site.

Keywords: ectoparasites of poultry, prevalence, management, predilection, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 28 (2) 2007: pp. 69-72