Research Article

Health science

PREVALENCE OF BOVINE SCHISTOSOMIASIS AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN AND AROUND BAHIR DAR TOWN, NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2017 to March 2018 in Bahir Dar and its surrounding areas, north-western Ethiopia, to determine the prevalence of bovine schistosomiasis and to identify risk factors associated with Schistosoma infection. Simple random sampling method was used to select the study animals and coprological examination was applied to identify Schistosoma eggs. Total 300 cattle were examined and 21.6% (n=65) were found positive for Schistosoma eggs. Cattle of different age groups were studied and significantly (p<0.05) differ with the age, young (12.9%), adult (24.1%) and old (27.3%). The prevalence of bovine schistosomiasis across kebeles was found different, in Sebatamit (29.8%), Kebele seven (22.8%),Adisalem (19.3%) and Kebele fourteen (18.7%). But, there was no significant (p<0.05) difference based on origin and sex. Animals categorized under poor body condition score has significantly (p<0.05) higher prevalence (32, 6%), followed by medium (20%) and good body condition (11%). The prevalence of the disease was higher in local (25.6%) than cross breed cattle (13.9%). It was also significantly (p<0.05) higher in extensive management system (26.4%) than semi-intensive management system (16.6%) and intensive management system (0%). This study indicated that bovine schistosomiasis is becoming one of the major cattle health problems in and around Bahir Dar. Therefore, control measures against schistosomiasis must be designed to target either parasite or snail or both.