Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, Nigeria
BACKGROUND: Agama agama lizards are the most populous species of lizard in developing countries of African including Nigeria. These lizards are insectivores; they feed on insects and other arthropods, which may predispose them to different gastrointestinal parasitic infections, some of which are of...
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| Format: | Article |
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University of Tehran
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://ijvm.ut.ac.ir/article_75300_7d4df3a270110f99f5ba1d8909aed98f.pdf |
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| author | Jallailudeen Lawal Kingsley Ezema Abdullahi Biu Shuaibu Adamu |
| author_facet | Jallailudeen Lawal Kingsley Ezema Abdullahi Biu Shuaibu Adamu |
| author_sort | Jallailudeen Lawal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BACKGROUND: Agama agama lizards are the most populous species of lizard in developing countries of African including Nigeria. These lizards are insectivores; they feed on insects and other arthropods, which may predispose them to different gastrointestinal parasitic infections, some of which are of zoonotic importance. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the gastrointestinal parasites in Agama agama lizards trapped in and around commercial poultry houses in Gombe State, Nigeria. METHODS: The study was carried out between the months of February and December, 2017. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 200 humanly euthanized Agama agama lizards from six Local Government Areas of Gombe State. Samples were examined microscopically for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites eggs or adult worms. RESULTS: Gastrointestinal parasites were detected in 154 (77.0%) Agama agama lizards examined, comprising of 58% gastrointestinal helminthes ova and 19% coccidian oocytes. Six species of helminthes were encountered viz: Strongyluris species (25.5%), Trichuris species (13.5%), Oxyuris species (8.0%), Ascaris species (5.5%), Heterakis species (4.0%) and Capillaria species (1.5%) all belonging to the class Nematoda. Two coccidian species comprised of Eimeria (1.5%) and Isospora species (1.5%) were also encountered. The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) higher in male (68.5%) compared to the female (45.7%) infected lizards. Coccidiosis was also higher (p> 0.05) in the male (19.4%) compared to the female (18.5%) infected lizards. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was found to be significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in the rainy season compared to the dry season of the study period. CONCLUSIONS: This study discovered helminthosis and coccidiosis in Agama agama lizards roaming in and around poultry pens in Gombe State. The occurrence of six helminthes and two coccidian species were recovered from infected Agama agama lizards, and prevalence rates of both parasites were significantly higher during the rainy season. Similar genus of gastrointestinal parasites detected in this study have been previously documented in man and domesticated birds. This suggests the association of Agama agama lizards in gastrointestinal parasites transmissions between susceptible hosts. Therefore, it is recommended that further studies involving molecular characterization and comparative studies of these gastrointestinal parasites in Agama agama lizards and domesticated birds should be carried out. It is also recommended that strict biosecurity should be maintained in and around commercial poultry houses to curb disease transmission by lizards or wild reptiles to birds. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T01:16:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e9a46cc86800448f97d485670447850f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2251-8894 2252-0554 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T01:16:53Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | University of Tehran |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-e9a46cc86800448f97d485670447850f2022-12-21T19:20:46ZengUniversity of TehranIranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine2251-88942252-05542020-03-0114111210.22059/ijvm.2019.290121.100503075300Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, NigeriaJallailudeen Lawal0Kingsley Ezema1Abdullahi Biu2Shuaibu Adamu3Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, NigeriaDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, NigeriaDepartment of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, NigeriaDepartment of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, NigeriaBACKGROUND: Agama agama lizards are the most populous species of lizard in developing countries of African including Nigeria. These lizards are insectivores; they feed on insects and other arthropods, which may predispose them to different gastrointestinal parasitic infections, some of which are of zoonotic importance. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the gastrointestinal parasites in Agama agama lizards trapped in and around commercial poultry houses in Gombe State, Nigeria. METHODS: The study was carried out between the months of February and December, 2017. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 200 humanly euthanized Agama agama lizards from six Local Government Areas of Gombe State. Samples were examined microscopically for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites eggs or adult worms. RESULTS: Gastrointestinal parasites were detected in 154 (77.0%) Agama agama lizards examined, comprising of 58% gastrointestinal helminthes ova and 19% coccidian oocytes. Six species of helminthes were encountered viz: Strongyluris species (25.5%), Trichuris species (13.5%), Oxyuris species (8.0%), Ascaris species (5.5%), Heterakis species (4.0%) and Capillaria species (1.5%) all belonging to the class Nematoda. Two coccidian species comprised of Eimeria (1.5%) and Isospora species (1.5%) were also encountered. The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) higher in male (68.5%) compared to the female (45.7%) infected lizards. Coccidiosis was also higher (p> 0.05) in the male (19.4%) compared to the female (18.5%) infected lizards. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was found to be significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in the rainy season compared to the dry season of the study period. CONCLUSIONS: This study discovered helminthosis and coccidiosis in Agama agama lizards roaming in and around poultry pens in Gombe State. The occurrence of six helminthes and two coccidian species were recovered from infected Agama agama lizards, and prevalence rates of both parasites were significantly higher during the rainy season. Similar genus of gastrointestinal parasites detected in this study have been previously documented in man and domesticated birds. This suggests the association of Agama agama lizards in gastrointestinal parasites transmissions between susceptible hosts. Therefore, it is recommended that further studies involving molecular characterization and comparative studies of these gastrointestinal parasites in Agama agama lizards and domesticated birds should be carried out. It is also recommended that strict biosecurity should be maintained in and around commercial poultry houses to curb disease transmission by lizards or wild reptiles to birds.https://ijvm.ut.ac.ir/article_75300_7d4df3a270110f99f5ba1d8909aed98f.pdfagama agama lizardscommercial poultry pensgastrointestinal parasitesgombe statenigeria |
| spellingShingle | Jallailudeen Lawal Kingsley Ezema Abdullahi Biu Shuaibu Adamu Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, Nigeria Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine agama agama lizards commercial poultry pens gastrointestinal parasites gombe state nigeria |
| title | Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, Nigeria |
| title_full | Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, Nigeria |
| title_short | Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Lizards (Agama agama) trapped in and around Commercial Poultry Pens in Gombe State, Nigeria |
| title_sort | detection of gastrointestinal parasites of lizards agama agama trapped in and around commercial poultry pens in gombe state nigeria |
| topic | agama agama lizards commercial poultry pens gastrointestinal parasites gombe state nigeria |
| url | https://ijvm.ut.ac.ir/article_75300_7d4df3a270110f99f5ba1d8909aed98f.pdf |
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