Helminthes parasites of local chickens in Bauchi state, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of helminthes infections in domestic fowls in Bauchi was carried out aimed at providing information on their species composition and prevalence. Two hundred chickens comprising of one hundred males and one hundred females were collected on a weekly basis for eight months and screened for helminthes parasites. A total infection of 87.8% was recorded consisting of the following nematodes and cestodes: Ascaridia styphlocerca (4.5%), Heterakis brevispiculum (18.0%), Subulura brumpti (15.5%), Gongylonema congolense (40.5%), Raillietina tetragona (38.5%),Raillietina echinobothrida (42.0%), Raillietina cesticillus (10.5%), Choanotaenia infundibulum (3.3%) and Raillietina magninumida (8%). There was no significant difference in infection rates between the sexes (P<0.05). Trematode infection was not recorded in this study.

Keywords: Helminthes, Prevalence, Local chickens, Bauchi, Nigeria