# Prevalence and Risk Factors of Parasitic Gastrointestinal Nematode Infections of Donkeys in Southern Ethiopia

## TL;DR

This study found that over 70% of donkeys in southern Ethiopia are infected with gastrointestinal nematodes, with poor body condition and semi-intensified management increasing the risk.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the prevalence and risk factors of nematode infections in donkeys in southern Ethiopia.

## Key findings

- The overall prevalence of parasitic gastrointestinal nematodes was 71.79%.
- Strongyles were the most prevalent nematodes, followed by Parascaris equorum and Strongyloides.
- Donkeys with semi-intensified systems and medium body condition had higher infection risks.

## Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GIT) parasites cause sickness and mortality in working donkeys, reducing their productivity. A cross-sectional study was done in the Damot Gale district of southern Ethiopia from November 2020 to June 2021 to determine the frequency of donkey GIT nematode parasite infection and to examine its related risk factors. Overall, 514 simple randomly selected donkeys from peasant associations were sampled for the coprological examination of gastrointestinal nematode infection. The flotation technique was employed to identify parasite eggs in feces. The total prevalence of parasitic gastrointestinal nematodes was 71.79% (95% CI: 67.73-75.52). The most prevalent nematodes were Strongyles (37.74%), Parascaris equorum (11.28%), Strongyloides (7.20%), and combined infections of Strongyles and Parascaris (14.01%) and Strongyles and Strongyloides (1.56%). The association between the prevalence of parasitic GIT nematode infections and body conditions score was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Comparatively, donkeys with semi-intensified systems were five times (OR = 5.36) and those with medium body condition were twice (OR = 1.94) had a higher risk of infection than donkeys with intensive systems and good body condition scores, respectively. In conclusion, the current study indicated that gastrointestinal nematode parasites of donkeys are highly prevalent in the study area. Thus, regular deworming, proper housing, and feeding management were recommended to improve the health and productivity of donkeys in the research area.