Identification and prevalence of ixodid ticks of cattle in case of Aleltu district, Oromia regional state, northern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia, ticks are the major threat to cattle productivity and production, leading to considerable economic losses. The current study was designed to estimate the prevalence of ixodid tick infestation, identify species, assess major risk factors associated with tick infestation and assess public awareness. METHODS: A cross-sectional and questionnaire-based study was conducted from January 2022 to June 2022 in the Aleltu district. The study animals were selected using a simple random sampling method. RESULTS: Of the 400 cattle examined, 303 (75.8%) were found to be infested by one or more tick species. Six species of ticks were identified that belonged to three genera: Amblyomma, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, and the subgenus Rhipicephalus (Boophilus). The most common tick species identified in terms of their prevalence and dominance were Rh. (Bo) decoloratus, Rh. evertsi, Am. variegatum, Hy. rufipes, Rh. bergeoni and Rh. praetextatus. In the present study, Rh. (Bo) decoloratus was the most prevalent (56.8%) in the study area. Among the risk factors considered, the prevalence of tick species had a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association with the age, production systems and body condition of animals. Out of 110 people interviewed, 107 (97.3%) believed there was a tick infestation in their village, and almost all farmers 103(93.6%) in the study area were unaware that ticks serve as vectors. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides preliminary information on the prevalence of tick infestation and the composition of ticks in the Aleltu district. Ticks are a major problem for the cattle in the study area. Therefore, the problem observed in the study area alarms the district and calls for a comprehensive control strategy.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Haemonchus contortus in Sheep Slaughtered at Bahir Dar Municipal Abattoir, Ethiopia.

Haemonchus contortus is a blood sucking parasite resulting a massive economic loss in tropical and subtropical sheep rearing areas. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of haemonchosis and its predictors at Bahir Dar municipal abattoir, northwestern Ethiopia, from December 2022 to April 2023. A total of 378 abomasum of sheep were taken by using systematic random sampling and inspected according to standard procedures. Accordingly, the findings of this study revealed an overall prevalence of 34.40% (30/378) (95% CI: 29.75-39.35). The presence of H. contortus in female sheep (46.41%) was significantly higher than in male (23.35%) (P < 0.001). The same is true; prevalence of haemonchosis in young (<1 year) sheep was 43.33% significantly (P < 0.001) higher than that of adult (≥1 year) which was 26.26%. Based the origin of the animals in the current study, it was nonsignificant variation (P = 0.386). The current study depicted that H. contortus infection is a common parasitic disease and requires remarkable attention to the prevention and control of haemonchosis at the study area.

Biting Flies and Associated Pathogens in Camels in Amibara District of Afar Region, Ethiopia.

Biting flies and associated pathogens are the major health constraints on camel production and productivity and are implicated in causing significant economic losses in the pastoralist community in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of biting flies and their associated pathogens in relation to different risk factors in camels in the Amibara district, from October 2019 to April 2020. A total of 480 camels were examined for biting flies and associated pathogens. The study revealed that overall, 87% (418/480) and 18% (87/480) of camels were infested by one or more biting flies and infected with Trypanosoma evansi during the study period, respectively. The collected biting flies were identified into a total of 3 genera: Hippobosca, Stomoxys, and Tabanus under the stereomicroscope. In the present study, Hippobosca (40.4%) was the most prevalent biting fly, followed by Stomoxys (31%) and Tabanus (28.6%), which affected camels in the study area. Among camels infected with Trypanosoma evansi, 7.3% and 16% were positive for parasitological and serological tests, respectively. Age, body condition score, and season appeared to have a significant effect (p ≤ 0.005) on the prevalence of biting flies and T. evansi on dromedaries. According to the findings of this study, biting flies and Trypanosoma evansi were the most common limitations on camel health, production, and productivity in the study area. As a result of the possible threat of biting flies' infestation and Trypanosoma evansi on camels, all-around attention is required in terms of strategic acaricide application, proper antiprotozoal drug use, and raising knowledge about acaricide use to prevent and control biting flies' infestation.

Brucellosis in Camels and Humans: Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors in Amibara District of Afar Region, Ethiopia.

Brucellosis is an important neglected zoonotic disease caused by infection with bacteria of the genus Brucella affecting different mammalian species including humans. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in camels and humans and its associated risk factors in Amibara District of Afar Region in Northeast Ethiopia, from October 2019 to May 2020. A total of 250 camel and 120 human sera were serially tested using the Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and complement fixation test (CFT). The overall seroprevalence of camel brucellosis in this study was 7.6% (95% CI: 4.9-11.56) by RBPT and 3.2% (95% CI: 1.63-6.2) by combined RBPT and CFT. In humans, twelve (10%) of the collected sera were positive by RBPT among which only four of them (3.33%) were positive by CFT. The risk factor analysis indicated that age, body condition, number of parity, and abortion history were significantly associated with Brucella seropositivity in camel (P ≤ 0.05). In humans, occupation and nonprotective handling of dystocia cases showed an apparent association with Brucella seropositivity. The results of this study indicated that brucellosis is a common health problem in camels and humans in Amibara District of Afar Region. The public health importance of this disease is associated with raw milk consumption and close contact with the animals having history of recent abortion. Therefore, controlling the risk factors, establishing Brucella diagnostic service in human clinics and hospitals, continuous social training with feedback assessments, and overall implementing of One Health approach framework to attain optimal health for people and domestic animals in area are recommended to safeguard the health of society.