EFFECTS OF INCORPORATION OF CARICA PAPAYA LEAVES IN DIET ON THE PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES IN ORYCTOLAGUS CUNICULUS IN BURKINA FASO

This study conducted in Burkina Faso aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating Carica papaya leaves into the diet of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites, notably coccidia. The leaves were locally harvested, shade-dried, then ground into a powder and incorporated into the diet at different inclusion levels (5%, 10%, 15%) compared to a control diet without papaya.To this end, 16 rabbitlets aged 45 to 60 days, with an average live body weight of 612.4 g, were divided into 4 groups of 4 individuals housed in appropriately sized cages and followed over a two-phase study: a 10-day adaptation period followed by weekly data collection over 4 weeks.The results demonstrated a marked reduction in parasitic burden (measured as oocysts per gram of feces, OPG) in rabbits fed diets containing 10% (450 ± 150) and 15% (16.67 ± 28.87) Carica papaya leaf powder, with significant decreases observed from the first week through the fourth week. Regarding antiparasitic efficacy, the 10% and 15% inclusion levels achieved an average OPG reduction close to 100%, indicating near-complete elimination of coccidia. Conversely, the control group exhibited a progressive increase in parasite load.The study suggests that incorporating Carica papaya leaves into rabbit feed is an effective natural strategy to control gastrointestinal parasites, thereby reducing the need for pharmaceutical treatments