Prevalence of Ruminants Gastro-Intestinal Parasites in Kirkuk province, Iraq

The present study was established on the slaughtered ruminants in Kirkuk central abattoir between June 1 st till December, 31 st 2015. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites (GIP s ) of slaughtered grazing ruminants in Kirkuk province. Fresh faecal specimens (n=276) were obtained from slaughtered grazing ruminants (85 sheep, 71 goats and 120 Cattle) in Kirkuk province. The investigational processing represented as direct and concentration methods were carried out using faecal direct smear, flotation and sedimentation protocol to investigate the fecal specimens to determine eggs/oocysts/trophozoites of the parasites. The obtained data showed that overall prevalence of GIP s among slaughtered ruminants was 78.98%. Six different GIP s species were recognized in the present study, namely: Haemonchus contortus , Strongyloides papillosus , Trichuris spp. Ostertagia spp., Entodinium caudatum , and Eimeria spp. The highest prevalence of GIP s was among goats (91.55%). While, lowest infections was observed among cattle (69.17%). The highest recorded results was Eimeria spp. among adult goats (42.2%), followed by S. papillosus (28.6%) in young sheep. The lowest infection was 5.33% in adult cattle by Trichuris spp. By age groups, young and adult goats showed the most prevalence of GIP s with infection ratio of 93.33% and 88.46%, respectively. Data in the present study revealed that the GIP s prevalent rates among grazing ruminants in Kirkuk province was about 79%. Adult goats seem to be the most infected ruminants GIP s with Eimeria spp., followed by young sheep with S. papillosus . This finding may be due to using unorganized traditional management systems in which huge numbers of the animals are kept together.


Introduction
Gastro-intestinal parasite (GIP s ) infections considered the most important problem in the herds around the world [1] especially in tropical and sub-tropical regions [2,3] This study was conducted, to determine the prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites GIP s in local ruminants, and to assure the awareness about grazing ruminant's serious parasite in Kirkuk province.

Sample collection
This survey was conducted in Kirkuk city during June, 1 st till December, 31 st 2015.
Disparately, faecal specimens (n=276) of sheep (85), goat (71) and cattle (120) were collected from the slaughtered ruminants in Kirkuk central abattoir in transparent, clean, dry, tight cover sampling containers. Each container was labeled with necessary data, such as number, time, date and kept in ice box in situ, then transferred immediately to the post graduate's parasitology laboratory of the Biology Department, College of Science, Kirkuk University.
The specimens were directly examined microscopically, parasitic data were recorded and stored at 4 C° until laboratory examinations processing within 24 h.

Parasitological Procedure
The obtained fresh faecal specimens were investigated for detection of intestinal parasites (eggs, oocysts and/or trophozoites) separately, using concentration methodology by using Sugar/salt solution and sedimentation protocol to investigate the fecal specimens, as described by [16,17]. The procedure in brief; preparing of direct smears for eggs/oocysts/trophozoites, sedimentation protocol for eggs and helminthes and Flotation method (Scheathers solution) for detection of nematode eggs and protozoan oocysts were performed.

Analysis of Results
The obtained data from the collected ruminant's specimens were tested and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (ver. 22.0) program package. The chi-square (χ 2 ) test was confirmed to assess difference in the frequencies of GIP s between the animals and to evaluate the association between independent factors of prevalence GIP s . Confidence interval was depended at 95% and statistical analyses was considered significant at p ≤ 0.05.

Results
Data obtained of the slaughtered ruminants infection with GIP s in Kirkuk central abattoir throughout the total period of the current study is summarized in Table 1

Discussion
In our knowledge, no reports found in the literatures to be deal with gastro-intestinal parasites (GIP s ) infections of grazing ruminants in Kirkuk province, except few, for instans [18]. However, the results obtained in the preset study were compared with other studies of authors in other provinces of Iraq.
In the present investigation, the obtained data revealed that the infection of the grazing ruminants with GIP s species in Kirkuk province was vary.

Conclusions
Data in the present study revealed that the gastro-intestinal parasites significantly prevalent among grazing ruminants in Kirkuk province. The obtained results in the present study indicate that the prevalent rates exceeded 78%. Significantly, the most prevalent GIP s was Eimeria spp. (42.2%) in adult goats, followed by Strongyloides papillosus (28.6%) in young sheep, while lowest infection was in adult cattle (5.33%) by Trichuris spp. However, the youngest ruminants had the highest prevalence than adults groups (84.9%, 75.29%), respectively. This finding may be due to mingling between young animals and adults at pre ablactating age, subsequently; this leads to high prevalence of GIP s among the young aged ruminants. This is a big problem which facing the livestock in the country. Hence, a serious strategy required to prevent the prevalence more GIP s among the local ruminants.
Additionally, encourage furthermore studies are required on GIP s in different parts of the country to assess its importance as a cause of health hazard.