The Prevalence and Intensity of Gastro-Intestinal helminths in Equine in North Darfur, Sudan

Abstract

A survey of equines (horses and donkeys) arriving at water points and markets in El Fasher, North Darfur state, Sudan was carried out during the period October 2011 and May 2012 to study the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites. A total number of 1400 animal (900 donkeys and 500 horses) were examined for gastrointestinal helminths. The overall prevalence with helminth parasites was 24.6%. 5% of the horses and 35.5% of the donkeys examined were proved to harbour gastro-intestinal nematodes. In donkeys and horses, the overall mean egg per gram (epg) count was 642.2±38.0 and 352.0±73.3 with a range of 100-2900 and 100-1700 (epg), respectively. The animals harbouring mild infection reported the highest incidence of 69.7% (donkeys) and 84% for horses, while moderate infection reported 15.6% (donkeys) and 8% for horses; and 14.7%, 8%for severe infection in donkeys and horses respectively. The most dominant genera of gastro-intestinal nematodes were Strongylus spp, Cyathostomes spp, Trichostrongylus spp, and Strongyloides westeri.