Prevalence of Trypanosome and Microfilaria Parasites in Slaughtered Chicken in Jalingo Chicken Market, Taraba state North East Nigeria

Abstract Blood parasites of avian host are common among different avian species. However they regularly does not result to noticeable consequences to the health of the avian host, though, their occurrence or absence with their prevalence across the populations of avian host could possibly carry significant information about their health, and body condition with the bird individual viability or in a populaces. Prevalence study of trypanosome and microfilaria parasites was carried out in chickens slaughtered in Jalingo chicken market between the months of Jan 2017 to Dec 2017. A total of 2,838 blood samples were collected from chicken (village chicken, broiler, cockerel and spent layers) slaughtered in Jalingo chicken market. Direct wet mounts and Giemsa-stained thin blood smears were prepared from each sample and screened for trypanosome and microfilaria parasites microscopically using the A—40 and A—100 (oil immersion) objectives respectively. Our result revealed that out of the total 2,838 blood samples collected, 86 (3.0 %) were positive for trypanosome only, 61 (2.1 %) of the samples were positive for filarial and 34 (1.2 %) were positive for both trypanosome and filarial. From our result, there was a moderate prevalence of both the trypanosome and microfilaria infection among the slaughtered chickens in Jalingo chicken market. Workable approaches of trypanosome and microfilaria parasites treatment and also control is essential so as to reduce or totally eradicate the infection among chickens in the study area.