Prevalence and risk factors of the Bovine Thelaziasis at Mersa Town, Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2014 to June 2015 in the Mersa Town of South Wollo Zone, Amhara Regional State to determine the prevalence of Thelaziasis in cattle and to assess associated risk factors responsible for the occurrence of the disease. A total of 384 cattle of both ages (98 young and 286 Adult) with two sexes (203 males and 181 females) were grossly examined by flushing the conjunctival sacs and lachrymal duct with sterile saline solution. The prevalence of thelaziosis was 18.23% (70 cases). Age, sex, body condition scores and management systems did not show any statistical significant difference (P>0.05) for the prevalence. The prevalence was higher in male (24.12%), young (26.53%), and extensively managed cattle (20.69%) than their comparative female (11.6%), adult (18.38%), and semi-intensively kept animals (13.01%) respectively. Regarding body condition scores, the highest prevalence of bovine Thelaziasis was recorded in poor body condition cattle (30.19%) while the lowest was recorded in cattle with good body condition scores (14.48%). The results of the present study showed that bovine thelaziosis requires special attention considering its impact on cattle production and productivity.