A study of ecto and endo parasites of domestic birds in Etsako Municipality, Edo North of Nigeria

Three hundred faecal samples from 300 domestic birds representing 100 from each of the 3 Local Government
Areas (LGA’s) were examined for helminth parasites, while 18 live domestic birds comprising of 10 fowls (Gallus domestica), 4
ducks (Anas sparsa), and 4 pigeons (Columbia livie) were also investigated for ecto-and helminth parasites in the three (3) Local
Government Area in Etsako, Edo state, Nigeria.
Two hundred and thirteen (213) 71% of the 300 faecal samples investigated were found to have parasite eggs. They include: 10
(46.7%) species of nematodes, Ascaridia galli, Syngamus trachae, Capillaria annulata, Heterakis gallinae, Cappillaria
longicollis, Syngamus bronchiali, Amidostomum anseris, Subulura brumpti, Capillaria retusa and Echinuria uncinate, 4 (8.9%)
species of cestodes, Choanotaenia infundibulum, Raillietina species, Amoebotaenia sphenoides and Davainea proglothina.
All 10 live fowls (55.5%) and 2 pigeons (11.1%) were found to be infected with helminth parasites. The parasites include: 8
species of cestodes, Amoebotrienia cuneata, Choanotaenia infundibulum, Hymenolepis species, Raillietina species, Raillietina
cesticillus, Mesocestoides species, Davainea proglottina and Raillietina echinobothridia, which was the only helminth parasite
found in pigeon in this study. 2 species of nematode; Ascaridia galli and Strongyloides avium. 1 species of trematode,
Echinostoma species.
Ten species of ectoparasites (Mallophaga-lice), were also found on the birds, they include; Lipeurus caponis (83.3%),
Columbicola columbae (38.8%), Coclutogaster heterographus (22.2%), Chelopistes meleagridis (38.8%), Gonoides dissimilis
(77.7%), Gonoides gallinae (38.8%), Gonoides hologaster (16.6), Menopon gallinae (27.7%), Mencanthus stramineus (66.6%)
and Gonoides gigas (27.7%).