Haemonchus longistipes Railliet & Henry, 1909 in goats in the Sudan

Morphometry and Molecular Identification of Haemonchus Cobb, 1898 (Trichostrongylidae: Nematoda) Isolates from Small Ruminants in Tanzania Based on Mitochondrial cox 1 and rRNA-ITS genes

The genus Haemonchus is the major abomasal parasite of ruminants responsible for substantial economic losses in tropical and temperate regions. This study was conducted to clarify the morphometry and molecular characterisation of Haemonchus species isolated from sheep in Babati district, Tanzania. A total of 486 trichostrongylid nematodes were recovered from five sheep. Of the total worms, 106 nematodes were distinguished by 37 males and 69 females. The asymmetrical length of dorsal ray and the distance of bulb at the apex of spicules were used for identification of males. In females, the linguiform vulvar flap was the most predominant with 33 out of 69 (48%) compared with knobbed morph type which was 25/69 (36%) and smooth morph type with 11/69 (16%). Partial cox1 sequence fragments of Haemonchus contortus isolates showed 98.8%, 99.3%, 99.7%, 99.5%, 99.3%, and 98.4% in male, smooth, knobbed, linguiform A, linguiform B, and linguiform C, respectively; with the average nucleotide divergence ranged from 1.03 to 2.35%. The amplified fragments of ITS-2 genes in knobbed, linguiform A, and smooth morphotypes revealed 99.4%, 98.5%, and 98.3%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis was evaluated by employing Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood, and the tree was distinctly separated into three clusters focusing on H. contortus in cluster I within the family Haemonchidae. Genetic drifting, mutation, and modification of the morphological features of the Haemonchus species described to have an impact on the development of drug resistance. Species identification is necessary to understand which species infect animal host. We recommend more studies on the parasites intensity and the strategies for controlling Haemonchus species in Tanzania.

Onchocerca armillata Railliet and Henry, 1909 and Onchocerca gutturosa (Neumann, 1910) in camels (Camelus dromedarius L.) in the Sudan

A study undertaken to determine the Onchocerca species infecting camels that live in the same localities as cattle in the Dinder Region, Blue Nile Province, Sudan revealed concurrent infections with the bovine parasites Onchocerca armillata in the thoracic aorta, brachiocephalic trunks and brachial arteries and Onchocerca gutturosa in the ventral side of the lamellar parts of the ligamentum nuchae. The microfilariae of both species had the same predilection sites in the skin of the ears, head and neck regions. Those of O. gutturosa outnumber those of O. armillata but both are smaller than the respective uterine microfilariae. Males and microfilariae of both species are smaller than those of cattle origin.

Seasonal fluctuations of gastrointestinal helminths of camels in Kuwait

Over a period of 1 year, from May 1982 to April 1983, the gastrointestinal tracts of 240 camels were examined for the presence of parasitic helminths. The study quantifies the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths and the seasonal fluctuations in intestinal worm burdens and faecal worm egg counts. Among the three species of cestodes and eight species of nematodes which were recorded for the first time from Kuwait, Trichostrongylus probolurus (93.8%), T. colubriformis (34.2%) and Stilesia vittata (30.0%) were the most prevalent in the small intestine and Camelostrongylus mentulatus (59.6%) in the abomasum. Estimation of the intestinal worm burdens and faecal worm egg counts showed that Trichostrongylus infections were by far the most predominant. The highest worm and egg counts were recorded in June and August, during the hot dry season. This rise is attributed to infections acquired from February to April, during the cool wet season. Possibly the most effective control can be achieved by a critical treatment at the end of the wet season coinciding with the first rise in nematode population.