Adhikari Roshan Babu, Adhikari Dhakal Madhuri, Ghimire Tirth Raj
Department of Zoology, Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences (NAIHS), Kathmandu 00977, Nepal.
Department of Zoology, Alka Health Institute Pvt. Ltd., Lalitpur 00977, Nepal.
Vet Med Int. 2025 Jun 20;2025:1033918. doi: 10.1155/vmi/1033918. eCollection 2025.
Sheep, the multifaceted small ruminants, are vital for meat, milk, wool, manure, skins, and transportation. However, various factors often threaten their sustainability, particularly in lowland areas. Notably, diseases caused by intestinal parasites, particularly coccidian and other helminths, highlight the crucial need for strategic health management in sheep farming. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and diversity of coccidian and other intestinal parasites in indigenous sheep reared in smallholder farms in the lowlands of Nepal. A total of 160 fresh fecal samples with age and sex variants were collected via noninvasive techniques. These samples were macroscopically inspected for fecal consistency and transferred to the research laboratory for microscopic examination. It showed a 96.3% prevalence and 26 diverse species of intestinal parasites involving coccidia (84.4%; 12 species), other protozoa (65.6%; 4 species), and helminths (78.1%; 10 species). The prevalence of protozoa (94.4%) was higher than that of helminths (78.1%). Compared to other groups, adults (100%) and female sheep (96.6%) had a higher prevalence rate of intestinal parasites. Additionally, concomitant infection (92.5%) was more common than monoparasitism (3.6%). Notably, sheep with grazing opportunities, thin and weak musculature, mixed domestication with livestock, unknown deworming history, and resting on mud showed higher positive cases. The indigenous sheep in central Nepal are significantly affected by a high prevalence and a wide variety of coccidian and other intestinal parasites. Many of these parasites are associated with severe health conditions and can lead to the death of sheep. Therefore, implementing strategic medication and training programs on healthy rearing practices for local farmers is of utmost importance.
绵羊作为多用途的小型反刍动物，在肉类、奶类、羊毛、粪便、皮革及运输方面都至关重要。然而，多种因素常常威胁着它们的可持续性，尤其是在低地地区。值得注意的是，肠道寄生虫引发的疾病，特别是球虫病和其他蠕虫病，凸显了绵羊养殖中进行战略健康管理的迫切需求。本研究旨在评估尼泊尔低地小农场所饲养的本地绵羊中球虫和其他肠道寄生虫的流行情况及多样性。通过非侵入性技术共收集了160份具有年龄和性别差异的新鲜粪便样本。这些样本先进行粪便稠度的宏观检查，然后转移至研究实验室进行显微镜检查。结果显示肠道寄生虫的总体感染率为96.3%，共有26种不同种类，其中包括球虫（84.4%；12种）、其他原生动物（65.6%；4种）和蠕虫（78.1%；10种）。原生动物的感染率（94.4%）高于蠕虫（78.1%）。与其他组相比，成年绵羊（100%）和母羊（96.6%）的肠道寄生虫感染率更高。此外，混合感染（92.5%）比单种寄生虫感染（3.6%）更为常见。值得注意的是，有放牧机会、肌肉瘦弱、与家畜混养、驱虫史不明以及在泥地上休息的绵羊，阳性病例较多。尼泊尔中部的本地绵羊受到高感染率和多种球虫及其他肠道寄生虫的显著影响。其中许多寄生虫与严重的健康状况相关，可导致绵羊死亡。因此，为当地农民实施战略用药及健康饲养实践培训计划至关重要。
