Prevalence of Eimeria Infections in Cattle in Sokoto Metropolis

Faecal samples collected from 410 cattle of various age groups, breeds and sexes were screened for different Eimeria (E.) species based on sporulated oocysts. Of the 410 faecal samples examined, 145 (35.4%) were positive for Eimeria oocysts of one or more species. A total of 9 different Eimeria species including E. auburensis(23.4%), E.bovis (19.3%), E. zuernii(14.5%),E. cylindrica (11.0%), E. subspherica (11.7%), E. ellipsoidalis(9.0%), E. bukidnonensis (5.5%) E. illinosensis (4.8%) and E. alabamensis (0.7%) were encountered. Yearlings were more commonly infected 170(51.0%) than calves 131 (29.0%) and adults 109(20.0%). The prevalence was higher in males 276 (65.5%) than in females 134 (34.5%). The highest prevalence was in Sokoto-Gudali (36.6%) followed by Friesian (29.6%), and the least was in White-Fulani breeds (4.8%). It was concluded that there could be clinical outbreak of Eimeria infections in the area with respect to the high occurrence of pathogenic species.Keywords: Eimeria infections; sporulated occysts, faecal samples, yearlings and Sokoto-GudaliNigerian Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 33 [1] March 2012, pp. 55-5