Study of Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Bovine Fasciolosis in Jimma Horro District of Kellem Wollega Zone, Western Ethiopia
Author(s): Dereje Tulu, Surra Gebeyehu
Fasciolosis is a parasitic disease of cattle that cause a significant economic loss in cattle production in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted with aim of assessing prevalence and associated risk factors of bovine fasciolosis in Jimma Horro district from November 2016 to November 2017. Fecal samples from randomly selected 384 cattle of different age group, sex and body condition were collected and examined with parasitological techniques (sedimentation technique). The prevalence of bovine fasciolosis as determined from coprological examination was highest in Une (31.3%), followed by Makanisa (29.2%), Abono (26.1%) and Ilu Kitaye (24.0%) peasant associations. The overall prevalence of bovine fasciolosis was 27.6% (106/384) in the study areas. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified season (OR= 4.6), sex (OR= 6.1), age groups (OR= 32.4) and body condition (OR= 5.8) of cattle as risk factors (P<0.05) for fasciolosis in the study area. However, there were no statistically significant differences observed between herd size, species composition and origin of cattle (P> 0.05). The present finding shows that fasciolosis in cattle is the most economically important parasitic disease affecting cattle and common in Jimma Horro district. Hence, there is a need to create awareness about impact of disease on cattle production and appropriate control methods of fasciolosis should be designed and implemented. Further epidemiological investigation should be carried out in the study area.