Veterinaria

Research Article

Epidemiology of Gigantocotyle explanatum in naturally infected buffaloes

Muhammad Naeem Iqbal a,b*,c, Ali Muhammad c, Aftab Ahmad Anjum b, Khawar Ali Shahzad d,e, Muhammad Asad Ali b, Shahzad Ali c

a College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agriculture University Beijing 100083, China

b Department of Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

c Department of Zoology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan

d Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China

e Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

Abstract

The Gigantocotyle explanatum, a digenetic trematode parasite infects the liver and bile duct of swamp buffaloes (Bubalusbubalis). The liver and bile duct of a total of 200 buffaloes were examined for the presence of Gigantocotyle explanatum by visiting local abattoirs of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. The histology of trematodes, collected from approximately 50 buffaloes, has been carried out for identification. The results of present study revealed 25 percent Gigantocotyle explanatum infection in central Punjab. The correlation between worm burden and area was found to be significant (p > 0.041) indicating the presence of trematode in all districts of study area with highest average worm burden 472.7 in Sargodha followed by 329 in Faisalabad. The correlation between worm burden and age was highly significant (p < 0.05) and correlation between worm burden and study area was also significant (p < 0.05). Furthermore it was found that buffaloes having 22 year age have the highest worm burden. It was concluded that the Gigantocotyle explanatum is prevalent in central Punjab. Several factors like good canal system that provide excellent habitat for its secondary host, snail and poor grazing management of animals being practiced in these areas should be managed to control the trematode infections.

Keywords: Gigantocotyleexplanatum, Trematode, Bubalusbubalis, Bile duct, Prevalence.

Received: Feb 07, 2014; Revised: March 02, 2014; Accepted: March 07, 2014

*Corresponding author: Muhammad Naeem Iqbal; E-mail: driqbalnaeem@hotmail.com