Prevalence of Gastro-intestinal Parasites in Horses and Donkeys in Al Diwaniyah Governorate

The study was included hundred of fecal samples of horses and donkeys (44 horses and 56 donkeys) males and females at age (2-6) years were collected from the period (1/11/2009– 30/10/2010). The parasites were encounter in 100% of horses and donkeys. Among the parasites that detected in horses, the prevalence of Strongylidae, Parascaris equorum, Strongyloides westri, Trichostrongylus axei, Oxyuris equi Cryptosporidium spp., Balantidium coli and Eimeria spp. were 50% , 40.90%, 22.72%, 25% ,11.36%, 20.45% 15.90% 6.81% respectively. In donkeys, the prevalence of Strongylidae, Parascaris equorum, Strongyloides westri, Trichostrongylus axei, Oxyuris equi, Dictyocaulus arnfieldi, Cryptosporidium spp., Balantidium coli, Eimeria spp. and Entamoeba coli were 57.14%, 32.14%, 28.57%, 17.85%, 17.85%, 17.85%, 19.64, 17.85%, 10.71% and 3.57% respectively. The single parasitic infection in this research was 50%, 28.57% and the mixed infection was 50%, 71.42% in horses and donkeys respectively. The statistical analysis reveal significant differences in the percentages of infections in different ages in horses and donkeys (p<0.01), while there were no significant differences in the percentages of infections of males and females of horses and donkeys (p<0.05).