Contribution to studying ecto and mesoparasites in goats in Southern Algeria

Abstract

The present work is aimed at conducting a screening survey to determine the parasites infesting goats in Algeria evaluation of their prevalence, and studying the influence of some risk factors on the incidence of these parasites. For this reason, the fact sheets on 100 animals belonging to 10 visited farmers were filled, macroscopic research of ectoparasites was completed and the faecal samples were taken. Different methods such as direct examination, flotation method, the method of Ritchie, Lugol staining technique and modified Ziehl - Neelsen staining were used to identify the parasite eggs. The results showed a total prevalence of vermin infestation of 97%. The observed mesoparasites were: Eimeria spp. (89%), Cryptosporidium spp. (70%), Ostertagia spp. (19%), Nematodirus spp. (14%), Skrjabinema spp. (10%) and Strongyloides spp. (8%). Ectoparasites were detected in 3% of examined goats and they were represented by two species of lice: Linognathus africanus (3%) and Damalinia caprae (3%). Following the statistical analysis of the influence of some risk factors, we obtained a significant influence of age (p= 0,004) on the parasitic infestation rate of the examined goats.