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Abstract
Epidemiological investigation on amphistomiasis through examination of viscera and faeces of 267 cattle, 120 goats, 67 sheep and 36 buffaloes in some parts of flood plains, hilly and coastal areas of Bangladesh during July, 1998 to June, 2001 revealed all types of animals infected with at least three or more species of amphistomes in all seasons of the year. The amphistome species were Gastrothylax crumemfer, Paramphistomum cervi, Cotylophoron cotylophorum; GiOntocotyle explanatum and Hom—alogaster ploniae. Simultaneous examination of 10,404 freshwater snails revealed 9 species of which at least five species namely Indoplanorbis exustus, Lymnaea spp. Thiara tubrculata, Bithynia tentaculata and Gyraulus convexiusculus were detected as the possible intermediate host of amphistome flukes. The vector snails were prevalent rouhd the year in almost all areas of the country except the extreme sea shores. There was a significant (p<0.05) variation in the distribution of the vector snails, Lytnnaea spp, Indoplanorbis exustus and Gyraulus convexiusculus in the different seasons of the year. The G. explanatum mostly in the buffaloes and some cattle while H. p/oniae.occurred in the caecum of some cattle and sheep only. The proportion of immature, young and adult amphistomes in different species of animals varied considerably, more adult amphistomes were recorded in cattle and buffaloes than in sheep and goats. The population density of amphistome was also high in cattle and buffaloes than in sheep and goats, lowest numbers of 50 in a goat and highest numbers of 7,538 in a cow. The burden of mature worms was more in aged animals (>4 years) than in young (<2 years).