Hepatic and Rumenal Worms Infestations of Cattle in Vina Division (Adamawa – Cameroon)

Abstract

The main objective of this work is to describe a preliminary epidemiological account of major hepatic and rumenal distome worms of cattle in Vina Division, Adamawa Region of Cameroon. A total of 1361 cattle dung specimens and 450 blood samples were collected between April 2018 and March 2019 in 06 subdivisions within Vina Division. The dung and blood samples were placed in a cooler. The cooler was immediately transported to the medical and veterinary laboratory of Special Mission of tsetse fly Eradication where samples were kept cold at +4°C for at most 48 hours. The qualitative method of concentration of worm eggs by simple sedimentation was performed.Blood parameters were measured using a haematology automated system. Of the 1361 cattle dung specimens examined, 424 presented distome eggs giving a prevalence of 31.15 %.These were Fasciola gigantica, Paramphistomum daubneyi and Dicrocoelium hopes eggs.All cattle age groups were infected by worms. In terms of prevalence, medium cattle were found to be the most infected. In lean cattle the parasitic loads of F. gigantic and D. hopes were high and then decreased as the health of the animals improved. All cattle breeds were infected by at least one of the worm species. Bokolo and Djafoun were most infected by F. gigantica, while Holstein and Aku were more influence by P. daubneyi. Goudali breed is the one that has undergone the least parasitic pressure. Male cattle were more infected than females, but females exhibited higher mean intensity of infestation. Older cattle were more susceptible to F. gigantic and D. hopes infection while Adults were more infected by P. daubneyi. Whatever the parasite considered, parasitic load progressively increased with the age of the cattle. The number of cattle infected by P. daubneyi and D. hopeswas greater in the rainy season unlike F. gigantic infection which was more recurrent in the dry season. Mbe locality had a high prevalence of F. gigantica and P. daubneyi. However, Ngaoundere 1, 2 and 3 presented the highest mean intensities for all worm species. Prevalence and mean intensities of cattle have been more important in extensive livestock status. All the worms were encountered all year round, except for November and December 2018 where D. hopes was absent. Polyparasitic cases were observed. Nevertheless, bispecifics associations were most frequent. Mean Corpuscular Volume, Platelet Concentrations, Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin, Total Leucocytes Count and Granulocytes mean values were higher in cattle with significant parasitic loads while Total Erythrocyte Count and Packed Cell Volume were low. Today, it is well established that distomatoses represent one of the major parasitoses of cattle in Vina Division of Cameroon.