Prevalence of fascioliasis in cows and sheep in district Mardan (KPK), Pakistan

Abstract

Prevalence of fascioliasis (particularly Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica) in cows and sheep was investigated in District Mardan of province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Pakistan. A total of 172 fecal samples of cows and 339 of sheep were collected from December 2011 to April 2012. Over all prevalence of fasciola parasites in cows and sheep was 25.00% and 11.50% respectively. The species found in fecal samples of cows were: F. hepatica (13.95%), F. gigantica (5.81 %). The corresponding values for sheep were 5.89%, 3.83% and 0.0 %. In month wise prevalence of F. hepatica and F. gigantica was highest in January 23.5%, 11.76%, in cows and 11.2% and 6.25% in sheep. Its prevalence was lowest in March 8.10%, 0.00% in cows and 2.04%, 0.00% in sheep. Over all Age wise prevalence displays that adults were more infected by trematodes as compared to young ones. In adults the prevalence of F. hepatica and F. gigantic were; 18.4%, 7.2% in cows and 3.7%, 4.2%in sheep. In young the prevalence was 10.4%, 3.9% in cows and 11.1%, 4.2% in sheep. Gender wise prevalence shows higher infection of trematodes in males as compared to females. The prevalence in male was 14.0%, 9.8% in cows and 6.1%, 6.1% in sheep. It is concluded that prevalence of trematodes parasites in cows was higher than sheep, due to variance in feeding behaviors and hygienic surroundings of the both hosts.