A Comparative Study of Single Helminths and Concurrent Helminths and Trypanosome Infections in Red Mbororo Cattle in the Semi- Arid-Zone of Northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

A comparative study of single helminths and concurrent helminths and trypanosome infections in red Mbororo cattle in the semiarid-zone of northeastern Nigeria were monitored from January to December 2008. Out of the 200 animals examined, 30 (15%) had single infection while 62 (31%) had concurrent infections. The seasonal prevalence showed that infections occurred only during the rainy season with the concurrently infected cattle (p<0.05) than those singly infected. The concurrently infected young cattle (<12 months) or male and female were significantly (p<0.05) more infected than their singly infected counterparts. The concurrently infected cattle also had higher faecal egg output than those singly infected. The helminth egg types encountered in concurrently infected cattle were Strongyle (70.9%), Strongyloides (16.1%), Schistosoma (3.2%), and Dicrocoelium (9.7%). On the other hand, those singly infected harboured only Strongyle, (56.7%) and Strongyloides (43.3%) egg types. The larvae isolated from those concurrently infected were mainly Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubrioformis, Oesophagostamum columbianum, Cooperia sp and Strongyloides pappilosus while those singly infected harboured mainly Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubrioformis and Strongyloides pappilosus. The concurrently infected cattle also harboured Trypanosoma vivax (80.65%), T. brucei (8.06%) and T. congolense (11.22%) while those singly infected had none. It is therefore, concluded that the red Mboro cattle harboured more concurrent than single infections.

Key words: Single infection, concurrent infection, red Mbororo cattle, Nigeria