M. N. Opara^1*, D. K. Osowa², J. A. Maxwell³

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¹ Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.
² Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
³ Department of Health Services, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
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Abstract: The blood and gastrointestinal (GI) parasites of chickens and turkeys reared in Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria were studied. Out of 5600 birds, 5040 (90%) were chickens and 560 (10%) were turkeys. Of these birds, 672 (12%) were infected with blood parasites, of which 448 (8.9%) were chickens and 224 (40%) turkeys. The blood parasites found in chickens were Leucocytozoon sp., with a prevalence rate of 448 (8.9%) occurring in both male and female chickens examined. Plasmodium sp. was found in the turkeys and it gave a prevalence of 224 (40%). 1792 (32%) of the birds were infected with faecal parasites, out of which, 1456 (28.9%) were chickens and 336 (60%) turkeys examined. Ascaridia sp. infected 1232 (24.4%) of the chickens and 336 (60%) of the turkeys were examined. The only cestode observed was Raillietina spp., which infected 224 (4.4%) of the chickens, but none in the turkeys. Generally, low blood and faecal infections were observed in the chickens, while infections in the turkeys were slightly higher.

Keywords: Blood, Gastrointestinal, Chickens, Turkeys, Tropical Rainforest, Nigeria

Cite this paper: Opara, M. , Osowa, D. and Maxwell, J. (2014) Blood and Gastrointestinal Parasites of Chickens and Turkeys Reared in the Tropical Rainforest Zone of Southeastern Nigeria. Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 4, 308-313. doi: 10.4236/ojvm.2014.412037.

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