Bovine Lungworm: Prevalence and Risk Factor in Asella Town, Oromia Region in Ethiopia

Bovine lungworm, also known as Dictyocaulus viviparous, is a parasitic worm that infects cattle, particularly calves. It's a lungworm from the Strongylidae family. Between May and June 2024, a cross-sectional study was undertaken in and around Asella town, Ethiopia, to establish the current prevalence of bovine lungworm and its associated risk factors. A total of 384 cattle fecal samples were collected at random and brought to the Arsi University Veterinary Laboratory for larval identification. Of the 384 fecal samples analyzed microscopically, 20 were positive for lungworm infection, indicating an overall prevalence of 5.21%. The results were presented using descriptive statistics, and the chi-square test was used to investigate the relationship between categorical variables and the presence of bovine lungworm. The study found a substantial correlation (P<0.05) between age, breed, and body condition score. However, the sex connection was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The incidence was 6.6% in animals aged 1 to 5 years and 3.45% in those older than 5 years. The highest prevalence was seen in animals with poor body condition (8.6%), followed by those with medium (5.3%) and good (2.2%) body states. Crossbreeds have a higher prevalence (6.98%) than native breeds. Furthermore, infection rates varied by body condition score, with rates of 8.6%, 5.3%, and 2.2% for poor, medium, and good conditions, respectively. The findings of this study indicate that bovine lungworm prevalence is a substantial issue in the area. Furthermore, our data suggest the need for additional research into the occurrence and prevalence of bovine lungworm in and around Arsi town, which can aid in identifying cost-effective ways to reduce cow mortality.