Assessment of Fasciola and Paramphistomes co-infection in large ruminants through faecal egg counts around Taiping, Malaysia
https://doi.org/10.47665/tb.40.3.011
- Author:
Che-Kamaruddin, N.
1
;
Isa, N.M.M.
1
Author Information
1. Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Agriculture;
fasciolosis;
helminth;
livestock;
paramphistomosis.
- From:Tropical Biomedicine
2023;40(No.3):344-350
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Emerging cases of Fasciola and Paramphistomes co-infection have been reported, especially in tropical
regions. Thisis due to Fasciola and Paramphistomes sharing biological factors which influence the pattern
of transmission, especially in faecal egg shedding due to interaction and competition in the definitive
host. Most reports surveyed the occurrence of fasciolosis in ruminants with a lack of observation of
faecal egg distribution. Therefore, present study is aimed to assess the distribution of Fasciola and
Paramphistomes faecal egg count (fec) in co-infected large ruminants in Larut, Matang, and Selama areas
(Taiping). A total of 371 faecal samples were collected at random from 23 ruminant herds. Flukefinder®
sedimentation was used to quantify the Fasciola and Paramphistomes eggs. Descriptive analyses were
performed to determine the prevalence of co-infections, and Spearman correlation analysis was used
to correlate the fec. Overall, the prevalence of Fasciola and Paramphistomes co-infection was 23.7%
(n=89/371) in Taiping. Prevalence of paramphistomosis was always higher than fasciolosis in overall
and single infection, with 46.9% (n=174/371) and 22.9% (n=85/371) compared to 36.9% (n=137/371)
and 12.9% (n=48/371) respectively. Egg per gram (epg) of both parasites were positively skewed with
a median of 1.5 epg in fasciolosis and 10.5 epg in paramphistomosis. Spearman correlation analysis
of the epg in co-infected bovine was found to have a moderately positive correlation with rs=0.39
(p-value<0.01). The recent study observed a moderate prevalence of Fasciola and Paramphistomes coinfection in a large ruminant population from Taiping, with the prevalence of paramphistomosis being
higher than fasciolosis. Hence, this suggests that infection with one of these parasites increases the
chance of infection with another. There is a need to integrate fec in parasite surveillance to monitor the
trend of parasite transmission. Findings in the present study could tailor control strategies, especially
for fasciolosis to limit the economic loss and prevent zoonotic transmission.
- Full text:8.2023my1427.pdf
