[Epidemiology of gastrointestinal helminthiasis in small ruminants in the tree-cropping pasture zone in Senegal].

An epidemiological survey on gastrointestinal helminthiasis in 51 sheep and 51 goats was held in the tree-cropping pasture region in Senegal from October 1990 to September 1991. All the animals examined were infected with at least 1 helminth species. Three trematodes (Fasciola gigantica, Schistosoma bovis, Amphistomatids), 2 cestodes (Moniezia expansa, Cysticercus tenuicollis) and 9 nematodes were identified. The most important parasite in sheep was Haemonchus contortus while Trichostrongylus colubriformis predominated in goats. The worm burden in sheep was significantly higher than in goats (P < 0.001). L4 larvae of H contortus were found in 85-87% of the small ruminants. There was a negative correlation between haematocrit, number of worms and egg per gram of faeces during the rainy season. These results show that the gastrointestinal nematode burden is high during the rainy season. During the dry season (9 months) nutritional problems are aggravated by adult worms and residual larvae.