Prevalence and Diversity of Haemoparasites and Gastrointestinal Parasites in Donkeys Co-grazing With Zebras at Amboseli National Park and Adjacent Areas

Abstract

Donkeys (Equus asinus) play an important role as a mode of transport in many communities, however their role is constrained by illness due to parasitic infections which can also affect other related wild equid species such as zebra often found co-grazing together with donkeys. Lack of a boundary fence at the Amboseli National Park (ANP) allows zebra migration out of the park and interaction with donkeys and other domestic animals within the adjacent community, with the possibility of transmitting infections between them. This study determined the prevalence and described the diversity of parasites occurring in sympatric zebras and donkeys at the ANP and adjacent areas. Fifteen blood samples were collected opportunistically from plains zebras (Equus quagga) during Kenya Wildlife Service scheduled management activities. Seventy-Nine donkeys were sampled from communities adjacent to ANP. Blood samples were screened for Theileria/Babesia and Ehrlichia/Anaplsma species by PCR amplifications and sequencing of the 18s and 16s rRNA gene respectively. Faecal samples were collected from both zebras and donkeys and analyzed for gastrointestinal parasites (GIP) using the sugar flotation technique and the modified sedimentation technique. Ticks were collected from 3 zebras and 38 donkeys and identified using morphological characteristics under a stereomicroscope and separated into species and developmental stages then screened for presence of tick-borne pathogens. Ehrlichia/Anaplasma was detected in 5 % of donkeys, but not in zebras. A partial 16S rRNA sequence similar to that of Anaplasma cf. platys was identified only in 4 % of the donkeys. Theileria/Babesia was detected from 92% donkeys, and 93%in zebras with a prevalence of T. equi at 87%, and 84 % respectively. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was close to 100% in both zebras and donkeys. Gastrointestinal parasites identified from zebras included Anoplocephala sp., Parascaris sp., strongyle, Trichostrongylus sp., Dictyocaulus sp., trematode, Oxyuris equi, and Habronema sp. while Anoplocephala sp., Parascaris sp., strongyle, Trichostrongylus sp., Dictyocaulus sp., Oxyuris equi, and Strongyloides sp. were detected in donkeys. Strongyle was the most found gastrointestinal parasite in both zebra and donkey, while Habronema sp. and Dictyocauls sp. was only found in zebras and potentially zoonotic Strongyloides sp. was only found in donkeys. Rhipicephalus pulchellus, R. praetextatus, R. evertsi, Hyalomma albiparmatum, H. impeltatum, H. rufipes, and Amblyomma gemma ticks were collected from zebras while R. pulchellus and R. praetextatus were found in donkeys. Further studies to characterize the Strongyloides sp. and the potential reservoir role of donkeys should thus be considered within the preventive and control measures of zoonotic parasitic infections.