STUDIES ON PARAMPHISTOMIASIS IN RUMINANTS

Abstract

This study was carried out through one year from January 2008 toDecember 2008 at Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate to determine someepidemiological and clinical features concerning paramphistomiasisin ruminants. Moreover, different treatment trails were conducted toevaluate their efficacy. Out of 944 examined animals (316 cattle 218buffalos and 410 sheep), eggs of paramphistomes were detected in260 (27.43%), the prevalence rate was 38.92%, 41.74% and 10.98%among cattle, buffaloes and sheep respectively. Geographically, thedisease was distributed variably among different areas of Kafr El-Sheikh. Concerning the sex predisposition, the prevalence of thedisease was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in females (41.61%) thanmales (27.45%). The prevalence of paramphistomiasis was differedsignificantly among different age groups and different seasons.Clinically, mild infected animals were apparently normal; the moderateand severely infected animals developed diarrhea, emaciation,submandibular edema, rough coat and decreased milk yield invariable degrees correlated to the faecal egg count. Paramphistomesspecies which detected were Paramphistomum cervi, Carmyeriusgregarious, and Cotylophoron cotylophorum. Histopathological changesin infected animals were in the form of mononuclear cell infiltration inthe sub mucosa of the ruminal papillae, necrosis and degeneration inthe gland of the duodenum. It was observed that oxyclozamide was97.9% effective against mature paramphistomes whereas niclosamidefailed to cure completely any of the infected animals.