| dc.description.abstract | Indigenous chickens constitute over 81% of poultry in Kenya and produce 71% of
eggs and poultry meat. Ecto- and haemoparasites limit production of these birds in the
rural areas. However, no previous studies have been carried out in Kenya to determine
the prevalence and intensity of infection with these parasites and their effect on the
host. The aim of this study was to determine the type and prevalences of ecto- and
haemoparasites; and association, intensity and pathology caused by the ectoparasites
affecting different ages and sex groups of free range indigenous chicken from two agro
ecological zones: Lower highland 1 (LH1) in Embu District and Lower Midland 5
(LM5) in Mbeere District in Eastern Province, Kenya.
A total of 144 indigenous chickens with matching for age, sex and agro ecological
zones were purposively randomly selected and purchased from smallholder farms and
transported alive in cages to the laboratories at the University of Nairobi, Kabete for
examination. Thorough physical and postmortem examination was performed on the
birds with emphasis on the cutaneous system. Three blood smears were prepared from
each bird, processed and examined for haemoparasites. Body, head and leg skins were
examined and identified parasites quantified. Skin tissues were collected for
histopathology, processed and examined for lesions. Data was managed using Ms
excel and analyzed with Genstat® Statistical package.
One thirty eight chickens (95.8%) had one or more types of ectoparasites, namely; lice,
mites, fleas and soft ticks. One thirty one birds had lice, 107 mites, 42 sticktight fleas
and 8 had soft ticks. Of the 138 infested birds, 25 had single while 113 had mixed
infestations. Lice were the most prevalent parasites. The study has documented
Epidermoptes species, Laminosioptes cysticola and Megninia species for the first time
in Africa as well as Lipeurus caponis and Goniodes gigas in Kenya. All adult birds
were infected with ectoparasites followed by 97.7% grower and 89.6% chicks. Both
male and female birds had the same prevalence (95.8%) of ectoparasites. Lower
midland 5 had a slightly high prevalence of ectoparasites (98.6%) compared to LH1
(93.1%) (p> 0.05). Parasite intensity in chickens was significantly (p< 0.05) different
among age groups and between agro-ecological zones, but not between sexes of birds.
Of the 144 birds examined, 79.2% were infected with haemoparasites, with 62.3%
single and 37.7% mixed haemoparasitic infestations. Plasmodium gallinaceum was the
most prevalent haemoparasite (53.5%) followed by Leucocytozoon schoutedeni
(52.1%) and Hemoproteus spp., (3.5%). Grower birds had a prevalence of 83.3% for
haemoparasites compared to 81.3% of adults, and 72.9% of chicks (p> 0.05). Male
birds had 83.3% prevalence, while female birds had 75.0% (p> 0.05). LH1 was found
to have a slightly high prevalence of 81.9% compared to LM5, 76.4% (p> 0.05).
Hemoproteus spp were isolated in chickens from LH1 and but not from LM5. | en |
