FLOCK LEVEL PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OFCHICKEN HELMINTHIASIS IN SYLHET DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

Chicken helminthiasis is considered to be endemic and occurs in chicken population of wide geographical areas of Bangladesh including Sylhet. However, epidemiological parameters of this disease have not been explored extensively. A Cross-sectional study was conducted from 10 November 2014 to 30 April 2015 to determine the flock level prevalence and case-control study was conducted to identify the determinants of chicken helminthiasis. Pooled faecal samples from 430 of chicken‟s flocks (218 of backyard, 128 of broiler and 84 of layer) selected by using simple random sampling scheme were from all 12 upazilas of Sylhet district. Faecal samples were examined by Simple McMaster technique using flotation fluid, saturated NaCl with 500 g sugar per litre. Flock level information was collected from farm‟s record book and by interviewing farm owners or managers face to face with a pretested questionnaire. Prevalences were calculated as a proportion of infected flocks in total number of flock tested. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the determinants of chicken helminthiasis. Overall flock prevalence of chicken helminthiasis was 67.67%. Prevalences of helminthiasis in backyard, broiler and layer flocks were 79.36%, 51.56% and 61.90%, respectively. Flock prevalences of single and mixed chicken helminthiasis were 31.16% and 36.51%, respectively. Seven nematodes: Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum, Syngamus trachea, Strongyloides avium, Capillaria annulata, Capillaria columbae and Trichostrongylus tenuis and three cestodes: Choanotaenia infundibulum, Raillietina cesticillus and Hymenolepis carioca were found in the tested samples. Capillaria columbae, known as nematodes of pigeon, was also found in chickens with 12.09% flock prevalence. Among 12 upazilas of Sylhet district, South surma and Biswanath were the most prevalent upazila (100%), while Jaintiapur was the least prevalent upazila (39.13%). Risk of overall helminthiasis was higher in flocks with damp surroundings and flocks not turning litters at regular interval than in flocks with dry surroundings and flocks turning litters at regular interval, respectively. Increasing idle (down) time between flocks decreased the risk of helminthiasis in layer and chicken flocks and poor biosecurity measures increased the chance of helminthiasis caused by single helminth or multiple helminths together in chicken flocks. The results of this study indicate that chicken helminthiasis is common in Sylhet and findings of this study can be used for planning adoptive surveillance and control measures for chicken helminthiasis. However, there is still a need for further investigations using advanced serological and molecular techniques to explore other epidemiological indices like host and vector range, spread, spatial and temporal trends etc.