Abstract:
A total of 267 rural scavenging chickens were examined from October 1998 to
August 1999 in four woredas (districts) of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Of these
chickens, 243 (91.01%) were found to harbour one to nine different helminth
parasites and 24 (8.99%) were free of helminth parasites. A significant difference
(P < 0.01) was found between the prevalence rates of helminth parasites in the
different agro-ecological zones; the highest prevalence was observed in the
lowland areas. This suggests that agro-ecology has a major influence on the
distribution of helminth parasites. Nematodes recovered included Heterakis
gallinarum (17.28%), Subulura brumpti (17.60%), Ascaridia galli (35.58%),
Cheilospirura hamulosa (0.75%) and Dyspharynx spiralis (2.62%). The principal
cestode species encountered were Raillietina echinobothrida (25.84%),
Raillietina tetragona (45.69%), Raillietina cesticillus (5.62%), Amoebotaenia
sphenoides (40.45%), Davainea proglottina (1.12%) and Choanotaenia
infundibulum (4.49%).