Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes of donkeys and mules in and around Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

This study was conducted from October, 2010 to April, 2011 in and around Bahir Dar to identify the major gastrointestinal helminthes of donkeys and mules, to estimate prevalence of these parasites and their burden on equines. A total of 384 faecal samples (212 donkeys and 172 mules) were collected randomly for qualitative and quantitative faecal analyses. The overall prevalence of different parasites was found to be 88.21% in donkeys and 77.91% in mules. In the study area, 94.1% of donkeys and 84.33% of mules harbored two or more types of parasites (mixed infection). The parasites encountered in both donkeys and mules in the study period were strongyles species (65.09% and 66.28%), Trichostrongylus axei (42.45% and 31.97%), Triodontophorus spp. (36.32% and 33.72%), Trichonema spp.(34.91% and 37.79%), Parascaris equorum (13.68% and 10.46%), Dictyocaulus arnfieldi (22.17% and 8.14%), Anoplocephala (23.12% and 16.86%) and Fasciola spp.(17.92% and 13.95%), respectively. The prevalence of all identified parasites were statistically significant (p<0.05) between female and male donkeys. The prevalence of strongyles, T. axei, Triodontophorus, Trichonema, and P. equorum was statistically significant (p<0.05) among age groups of donkeys, but Anoplocephala and Fasciola was not. In mules, the prevalence of strongyles, Triodontophorus and Trichonema was statistically significant (p<0.05), but the prevalence of T. axei, P. equorum, D. arnfieldi, Anoplocephala, and Fasciola was not. The body condition score was negatively correlated (r=-0.664 for donkeys and r=-0.637 for mules, respectively) with total eggs per gram of faeces (EPG). The findings of the present study indicated a high prevalence of helminthic parasites compromising the health and welfare of equines. Sustainable prevention and control methods should be developed to prevent the burden of gastrointestinal helminthes of equines in and around Bahir Dar.Key words: Bahir Dar, donkeys, Ethiopia, gastrointestinal helminthes, mules, prevalenc

Prevalence and risk factors of bovine and ovine fasciolosis, and evaluation of direct sedimentation sensitivity method at Bahir-Dar Municipal Abattoir, Northern Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November, 2010 to March, 2011 to estimate the prevalence of bovine and ovine fasciolosis, to assess risk factors and to estimate direct financial loss due to liver condemnation on cattle and sheep slaughtered at Bahir Dar municipal abattoir. Additionally, the sensitivity of direct sedimentation technique for the diagnosis of fasciolosis in cattle and sheep was also evaluated. Thus, of the total 768 collected fecal samples (384 cattle and 384 sheep), 121 cattle (31.5%) and 42 sheep (10.9%) were found positive. Likewise, detail postmortem examination of the livers revealed significant (X2 = 72.17; p = 0.000) difference in the number of flukes recovered from cattle (45.3%) and sheep (16.9%). Analysis of the risk factors indicated the presence of significant occurrence of ovine fasciolosis among different age groups (p = 0.038, X2 = 4.30) and between sexes (p = 0.710, X2 = 0.14). Analysis of intensity of pathological lesion in bovine livers revealed 43 (24.7%) lightly, 71 (40.8%) moderately, and 60 (34.5%) severely affected livers. Fasciola hepatica was more prevalent (69.5 and 76.9%) than Fasciola gigantica (14.4 and 13.9%), mixed infection by both flukes (6.9 and 6.2%) and unidentified immature fluke (16.0 and 9.2%) in cattle and sheep, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of fecal examination were found to be 69.54% and 100% in cattle and 64.61% and 100% in sheep, respectively. The average financial loss per annum as a result of liver condemnation was estimated to be 198,457.80 and 3,745.76 Ethiopian Birr (11421.61 and 215.56 USD) in cattle and sheep, respectively, indicating that the disease is economically important. This study showed high prevalence of fasciolosis occurrence associated with high financial losses implying the need for control intervention.Keywords: Fasciolosis, prevalence, sheep, cattle, abattoir, economic importance, Ethiopi

The Status of Iodine Nutrition and Iodine Deficiency Disorders among School Children in Metekel Zone, Northwest Ethiopia

Background: Iodine deficiency disorders are serious public health problems in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence and severity of iodine deficiency disorders among school children in Metekel Zone.Methods: A cross-sectional school based descriptive study was conducted between February 2011 and July 2012. One school containing 750 children aged between 6 and 18 years was randomly selected. Two hundred students from this school were selected by systematic random sampling. Physical examination was made according to WHO goiter classification system; 50 salt samples from households to which the sampled children belonged were tested for iodine using rapid field test kits and titration; a casual urine sample (5 ml) was taken from 30 children to measure urinary iodine spectrophotometrically, and 5 ml venous blood sample were collected from 37 children to measure thyroid relevant blood constituents using ELISA.Results: The total goiter prevalence was 39.5%; 60% of the salt samples contained no iodine. The median urinary iodine concentration ranged from 20.54 – 62.2 (39.9 μg/L). School children who were assessed for thyroid hormones showed 18.92% elevated and 27.03% suppressed TSH levels.Conclusion: The study demonstrated that iodine deficiency is still a severe public health problem in Metekel Zone. There is a need to further strengthen the existing controlling and monitoring system in order to achieve proper elimination of IDDs in the community.Keywords: Iodine deficiency disorder, iodized salt, urinary iodine concentration, thyroid function

Antibiogram of E. coli serotypes isolated from children aged under five with acute diarrhea in Bahir Dar town

Background: Diarrheal disease and its complications remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The prevalence and antibiogram of E. coli as causative agents of diarrhea vary from region to region, and even within countries in the same geographical area.Objectives: To determine the serotype and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli in children under-five years of age.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 children with diarrhea from December 2011 to February 2012. Identification of E. coli and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were done following standard procedures.Results: The overall isolation rate of E. coli was 48.3%. Poly 2 sero-groups, poly 3 sero-groups, poly 4 sero-groups and E. coli O157:H7 accounted for 80 (39.2%), 40 (19.6%), 25 (12.3%), and 59 (28.9%) of the isolates, respectively. Poly 2 sero- groups, constituting isolates belonging to enteropathogenic E. coli were the most commonly isolated serotypes. E. coli exhibited high levels of antimicrobial resistance to ampicillin (86.8%), tetracycline (76%) and cotrimoxazole (76%). Low levels of resistance to ciprofloxacin (6.9%) and norfloxacin (9.3%) were documented.Conclusion: High prevalence of diarrheagenic E. coli compounded by alarming antimicrobial resistances is a serious public health problem. Regular determination of antibiogram and public education are recommended.Keywords: E. coli, antimicrobial susceptibility, diarrhea, Ethiopi

Bumble bee parasite strains vary in resistance to phytochemicals

Nectar and pollen contain diverse phytochemicals that can reduce disease in pollinators. However, prior studies showed variable effects of nectar chemicals on infection, which could reflect variable phytochemical resistance among parasite strains. Inter-strain variation in resistance could influence evolutionary interactions between plants, pollinators, and pollinator disease, but testing direct effects of phytochemicals on parasites requires elimination of variation between bees. Using cell cultures of the bumble bee parasite Crithidia bombi, we determined (1) growth-inhibiting effects of nine floral phytochemicals and (2) variation in phytochemical resistance among four parasite strains. C. bombi growth was unaffected by naturally occurring concentrations of the known antitrypanosomal phenolics gallic acid, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid. However, C. bombi growth was inhibited by anabasine, eugenol, and thymol. Strains varied >3-fold in phytochemical resistance, suggesting that selection for phytochemical resistance could drive parasite evolution. Inhibitory concentrations of thymol (4.53-22.2 ppm) were similar to concentrations in Thymus vulgaris nectar (mean 5.2 ppm). Exposure of C. bombi to naturally occurring levels of phytochemicals—either within bees or during parasite transmission via flowers—could influence infection in nature. Flowers that produce antiparasitic phytochemical, including thymol, could potentially reduce infection in Bombus populations, thereby counteracting a possible contributor to pollinator decline

Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis on prevalence and diagnostic methods

Strongyloides stercoralis is a helminthic intestinal parasite that causes the disease strongyloidiasis. Its prevalence is high in tropics and sub-tropics due to poor sanitation and hygiene. However, its true prevalence is not well known in Ethiopia as most health institutions use low sensitive diagnostic methods. This review aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of S. stercoralis at country, and regional state levels. Papers published on S. stercoralis in Ethiopia from 2010 to 2020 were collected from PubMed, Google Scholar and Science direct databases and Addis Ababa repository. Identification, screening, checking the eligibility, and inclusion of the relevant literatures were done. Articles with S. stercoralis positive results from Ethiopian populations were included. Articles which focused on Strongyloides infection in foreigners, and other than stool samples were excluded. The pooled prevalence of S. stercoralis and heterogeneity between studies and across regions were computed. From the 43 articles, the overall prevalence of S. stercoralis in Ethiopia was 1.82 %. Across regions, relatively high prevalence of S. stercoralis (8.78 %) was recorded in Addis Ababa city. High prevalence of S. stercoralis was found to be 44.02 % with a combination of formol ether concentration, Baermann concentration, and molecular methods. Low prevalence of 0.26 %, 0.31 %, and 1.20 % was evidenced respectively with Kato-Katz, direct saline microscopy, and formol ether concentration methods. Using random effect analysis, the pooled prevalence of S. stercoralis in Ethiopia, across regions and across diagnostic methods was 2.1 % (95 %CI: 1.20 – 3.60), 2.6 % (95 %CI: 0.80 – 8.20) and 3.7 % (95 %CI: 1.10 – 11.70), respectively. The heterogeneity was high (P<0.001). This review revealed that Strongyloides infection is probably underreported and its prevalence could be higher than the reported in Ethiopia. Therefore, a revision of the best combination of diagnostic methods could be advisable as it gives better diagnostic results in routine diagnosis of Strongyloides infection in Ethiopia