Survey of Gastrointestinal Parasites and Ectoparasites of Horses (Equine Equine) in Port Harcourt and Abarka Polo Field, South Southern Nigeria

Gastrointestinal parasites of horses in South Southern Nigeria have not been documented previously. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and ectoparasites in horses (less thanigreater thanEquus caballusless than/igreater than) in Polo Fields of Abraka and Port Harcourt in South Southern Nigeria during June 2017 to October 2017. One hundred faecal horse samples, (22) in Abraka and (78) in Port Harcourt Polo Fields were examined (using standard parasitological techniques for helminthes and ectoparasites. Soil samples from the two fields were also collected and examined. Out of the 100 horse faecal samples examined, (93 %) were infected. The infection was more (100 %) in Abraka polo and lowest71 (91.0 %) in Port Harcourt polo field. The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes across the study locations are; less thanigreater thanDraschiame gastomaless than/igreater than (14.0 %), less thanigreater thanTridontophorus tenicollisless than/igreater than (7 %), less thanigreater thanTrichostrongylus axeiless than/igreater than (49 %), less thanigreater thanStrongylus spless than/igreater than (80 %), less thanigreater thanDictyocaulus arnfieldiless than/igreater than (35 %), less thanigreater thanParanocephala mannillaless than/igreater than (1.0 %), less thanigreater thanEimeria leukartiless than/igreater than (4.0 %), less thanigreater thanStrongyloide spless than/igreater than (48.0 %), less thanigreater thanCyathostome spless than/igreater than (42.0 %), less thanigreater thanParascaris equorumless than/igreater than (5.0 %) and less thanigreater thanOxyuris equiless than/igreater than (1.0 %). Differences were not significant (pgreater than0.05). Prevalence of ectoparasite across the study location were less thanigreater thanBoophilus spless than/igreater than (23 %) and less thanigreater thanRhipicephalus sanguineusless than/igreater than (36 %). Mono-infection accounted for 22 % while poly-infection accounted for 24 % of the total infections. The prevalence of five helminthes; less thanigreater thanDictyocaulus spless than/igreater than, less thanigreater thanStrongyloide spless than/igreater than, less thanigreater thanTrichuris trichurialess than/igreater than, less thanigreater thanToxocara spless than/igreater than and less thanigreater thanEnterobius vermicularisless than/igreater than recovered from the soil samples were of 20 %, 30 %, 20 %, 10 % and 10 % respectively. This prevalence is a call for public health intervention across the study location.