Ecto and Endo Parasites Prevalence in Domestic Chickens in Sulaimani Region

Abstract

     The study was conducted on 65 local adult chickens (Gallus domesticus) to investigate  macro - and microscopically presence of external and internal parasites and their prevalence in Sulaimani region-Kurdistan/Iraq from May to July 2012. Results showed that 90.77 % out of total examined chickens were infested with ecto-parasites, out of that 81.36 % (48/59) were infested with lice such as (Menacanthus  stramineus, Goniocotes  gallinae, Menopon  gallinae, Goniodes  gigas, Cuclotogaster  heterographus ) and 62.72 (37/59) of it with larval stage of soft tick such as (Argas  persicus).  Mixed infestations with more than two ecto-parasite species were detected. On the other hand 89.23% out of 65 examined chickens were infected by internal parasites including nematodes and cestodes such as (Heterakis  gallinarum which formed 81% and the remains were Ascaridia  galli, Cheilospirura  hamulosa, Capillaria  spp., Raillietina  spp., Choanotaenia  infundibulum, Amoebotaenia  sphenoides, Hymenolepis  carioca and  Davaniea  proglottina).