Veterinaria

Research Artice

Prevalence of Gastrothylax crumenifer in the gastrointestine of Bubalus bubalis

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

Among livestock, water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is very important because of its high milk yield to meet the protein requirement. However, gastrointestinal trematode parasite especially Gastrothylax crumenifer is a main cause for health hazards in buffalo of central Punjab. In this study prevalence and identification of Gastrothylax crumenifer was carried out by visiting local abattoirs. Total of 265 rumens and reticulums of buffaloes were examined for the presence of Gastrothylax crumenifer. 18.8% Gastrothylax crumenifer infection was recorded in central Punjab. The correlation between worm burden and area was found to be non-significant (p > 0.05) indicating the presence of trematode in all districts of study area. The correlation between worm burden and age was highly significant (p < 0.05). Furthermore, highest worm burden was noted in buffalo having 22 year age. It was concluded that the Gastrothylax crumenifer is prevalent in central Punjab. Several factors contribute in survival and development of Gastrothylax crumenifer in central Punjab including the availability of fresh water snails serving as intermediate host, existence of extensive water channel system and poor grazing management of animals being practices in these areas and their keepers being unaware from the parasites.

Key words:Gastrothylax crumenifer, Trematode, Bubalus bubalis, Prevalence.

Received: July 13, 2013; Revised: Dec 12, 2013; Accepted: Jan 04, 2013

*Corresponding author: Muhammad Naeem Iqbal; Email: driqbalnaeem@hotmail.com