Helminthiasis in free-ranging indigenous domestic poultry in KenyaL'helminthiase chez la volaille domestique locale en libre parcours au Kenya

In Kenya data on poultry helminthiasis are scarce and its research has received little attention owing to the less visible and chronic symptoms of helminthiasis that are difficult to discern. To bridge this gap, we examined 604 chicken guts from local slaughter houses in Kenya and then visited 22 homesteads in Central Province rearing indigenous free ranging chicken. A questionnaire dealing with clinical signs of helminthiasis and poultry management practices to assess whether the farmers discerned ill health in their flock was administered. Ninety percent of the slaughter house guts were positive for one or more helminth parasites, including Heterakis spp (28%), Strongyloides spp (24%), Ascaridia galli (14%), Acuaria spp (13.6%), Tetrameres spp (2.5%) and Davainea spp (2.1%) among others. Of the 22 homesteads, one or more reported abnormal conditions in their flock. Ninety percent observed depressed egg-laying, 59% saw weakness in legs and slimy/bloody stool, while 46% observed late maturity (>8months). Eighty two percent of the homesteads feedback tallied with the clinical signs associated with the helminth parasites identified from their poultry at coprology. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa Vol. 54(2) 2006: 92-9

Resistance of the predacious mite, euseius kenyae (acari: phytoseiidae) to chlorpyrifos (dursban ®) in kenyan coffee farms

This study was carried out to assess whether the predacious phytoseiid mite, Euseius kenyae (Swirski and Ragusa), commonly found in major  coffee growing regions in Kenya has developed resistance to Chlorpyrifos. Mite populations were collected from coffee farms harbouring E. kenyae and where Chlorpyrifos or other organophosphates were sprayed to manage the primary coffee insect pests. The mites collected were reared in mass in the laboratory for bioassays. The findings showed that under coffee agro-ecosystems, levels of resistance existed among the populations of E. kenyae after their exposure to Chlorpyrifos or other organophosphates. The population of E. kenyae from a coffee farm (C44) was most susceptible to Chlorpyrifos with LC50 = 0.044 that was below the lowest concentration of 0.1875 ml per litre of water which was tested. The E. kenyae from coffee farms (C1, C4, C7, C37, C25 and C119) had  resistance ratios more than ten times that of C44. The coffee farms (C2, C12, C19, C116, C31, C50 and C72) had populations of E. kenyae  susceptible to Chlorpyrifos at concentration of 0.75 ml per litre of water which is the field recommended rate for control of insect pests in coffee. The population of E. kenyae from C7 was resistant to the highest field rate of 200% (1.5 ml per litre of water) with LC50 of 1.716 and resistance ratio of 39 times. The existence of resistance populations of E. kenyae is an aspect that needs to be considered in the integrated pest control strategies against coffee insect pests