Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Gastrointestinal Parasites in Ruminants in the North Centre of Algeria

Gastrointestinal parasitic infections represent a major problem in veterinary medicine, significantly affecting the productivity of ruminant livestock and compromising the economic viability of breeding systems worldwide. This epidemiological investigation, carried out between March and June 2023 on six farms in the Algiers region, aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasites and to characterize their taxonomic distribution in ruminants. Qualitative coprological analysis using the flotation technique was carried out on 120 fecal samples, revealing an overall prevalence of infestation of 63.3%. Significant interspecific heterogeneity was observed, with infestation rates of 75.0% in goats, 67.5% in sheep and 47.5% in cattle. Parasitological characterization revealed a predominance of metazoan helminths (61.84%) compared with protozoa (38.15%). Stratified analysis according to biological determinants demonstrated sexual dimorphism in parasite susceptibility, with females showing a higher prevalence (69.86%). Distribution by age class revealed a significant downward gradient, with individuals under one year of age showing a significantly higher vulnerability (prevalences of 90.0%, 91.7% and 72.7% respectively in sheep, goats and cattle) than subjects over three years of age (prevalences of 44.4%, 55.5% and 21.4% respectively). These epidemiological data underline the importance of implementing parasite monitoring and control protocols differentiated by species, sex and age class, with particular attention to breeding females and young subjects, in order to optimize animal health and welfare while improving farm profitability.