STUDY ON PREVALENCE OF ECTOPARASITES IN BOALKHALI UPAZILA, CHATTOGRAM

Abstract

The prevalence of ectoparasitic arthropods of cattle and goats in Boalkhali upazila of Chattogram district were investigated. A total of 344 animals were observed for this study and 67 (19.5%) of them were infested with one or more than one species of ectoparasite. Among them 18 cattle and 49 goats were infested. Eleven species of ectoparasites were identified and they are Damalinia caprae, Bovicola bovis, Stomoxys calcitrans, Musca domestica, Tabanus spp., Culex sp., Anopheles sp., Ctenocephalides felis, Haemaphysalis longicornis, Dermacentor reticulatus, and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. Among them Haemaphysalis longicornis was the most prevalent. A total of 32 animals (9.3%) were infested with Haemaphysalis longicornis, 14 (4.07%) with Dermacentor reticulatus and 6 (1.75%) with Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. In case of lice, 6 (1.75%) goats were infested with Damalinia caprae and 2 (0.6%) cattle with Bovicola bovis. And in case of flea, was 7 (2.03%) animals were infested with Ctenocephalides felis. In case of cattle, 42 ectoparasites were collected from 18 infested hosts where 63 cattle were examined. The prevalence and intensity were 28.6% and 1.61 respectively. Among them Haemaphysalis longicornis was the most prevalent. A total of 32 animals (9.3%) were infested with Haemaphysalis longicornis, 14 (4.07%) with Dermacentor reticulatus and 6 (1.75%) with Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. In case of lice, 2 (3.2%) cattle with Bovicola bovis and in case of flea, 2 (3.2%) animals were infested with Ctenocephalids felis. A total of 88 ectoparasites of goat were collected from 49 infested hosts where 281 goats were examined. The prevalence and intensity were 17.4% and 1.79 respectively. Among them Haemaphysalis longicornis was the most prevalent. A total of 23 goats (8.19%) were infested with Haemaphysalis longicornis, 11 (3.9%) with Dermacentor reticulatus and 4 (1.4%) with Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. In case of lice, 6 (2.1%) goats with Bovicola bovis and in case of flea, 5 (1.78%) animals were infested with Ctenocephalids felis. About 45 other arthropod samples were collected. Among them, 16 (35.5%) Anopheles sp., 10 (22.22%) Culex sp., 10 (22.22%) Musca domestica, 5(11.11%) Stomoxys calcitrans and 4 (8.88%) Tabanus sp. were collected. The samples were collected from different type of farms and also from Upazila Veterinary Hospital of Boalkhali Upazila. In case of comparison of the prevalence of ectoparasite infestation in cattle between different age groups, young group (18 months old or less) had higher prevalence (30.4%) than adult group (>18 months) (27.5%). In case of sex, female had higher prevalence (30.3%) than males (26.7%). On the other hand, in case of comparison of the prevalence of ectoparasite infestation in goat between different age groups, young group (15 months old or less) had higher prevalence (20.5%) than adult group (>15 months) (16.3%). In case of sex, female had higher prevalence (18.1%) than males (16.8%).