PREVALENCE OF LUNGWORM INFECTION AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG SHEEP WITH RESPIRATORY SIGNS AND EVALUATION OF PUBLIC INTERVENTION FOR CONTROL AND PREVENTION IN NORTH SHEWA ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Lungworm infection of sheep is highly prevalent and widely distributed in different parts of Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Degam, Girar Jarso, and Shararo woreda, North Shewa Zone of Oromia regional state to estimate the magnitude of lungworm infection in sheep with respiratory signs, epidemiological study and assessment of public intervention on control and prevention methods. A total of 734 sheep were selected using the multistage cluster sampling technique, fecal samples were collected and coproscopic examination by bearmann technique was carried out. In addition, a semi-structured questionnaire about the general management of sheep flocks and a retrospective study within the past five years was undertaken. All recorded data were first entered and managed in Epidata software version 3.1 and exported to STATA 14 for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate the prevalence and univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the association between various factors and lungworm infection. The overall prevalence of lungworm infection in sheep with respiratory signs was 76.7%, 95% (CI): 73.5%, 79.7%). The age, body condition, feed supplement, deworming history, disease history of animals and study area were statistically significant (p<0.05) association with lungworm infection. Dictyocaulus filaria was the most common (29.4%), followed by protostrongylus refuscens (20%) and mullerius capillaries (11.2%) species of lungworm in sheep. Among 192 interviewed households, 58.9% respondents do not deworm regularly, 24.5% deworm at the end of the rainy season, and 44.3% use injections for the prevention of lungworms. 29.2% respondents use traditional drugs for the prevention of lungworms. A total of 3908 sheep with respiratory signs were treated in the study woreda clinics within the past five years. From the data, respiratory diseases were highest in summer, females, adults, and animals with poor body conditions. Animal health professionals usually diagnosed respiratory problems tentatively and prescribed drugs accordingly. In conclusion, lungworm infection in sheep with respiratory problems was high, and factors such as age, body condition, feed supplement, deworming history, disease history of animals and Degam woreda was associated with lung worm infection. Thus, awareness creation, strategic deworming, feeding of feed supplements, fulfilling veterinary infrastructure for diagnosis, and encouraging usage of natural products are recommended.