Studies on paramphistomes infecting goats and sheep from Gwanda District in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Paramphistomes were collected from 3000 goats and 1000 sheep from various localities in Gwanda district in Matabeleland South Province Zimbabwe. On slaughter their stomachs, rumens and reticulum were cut open and their inner walls were examined for attached paramphistomes. Identifications were based on the morphological structures and measurements of diagnostic features from flattened and median sagittal sections. Analysis
of the structures of the acetabulum, pharynx and genital atrium revealed the following parasites in the area, Calicophoron microbothrium, Calicophoron clavula and Ceylonocotyle dicranocoelium. The degree of tissue damage on the host was generally slight except for cases where Ceylonocotyle dicranocoelium was involved. The percentage of goats infected with paramphistomes was 2% while in sheep it was 6%. The number of parasites in goats ranged from 5 to 500 while in sheep the range was 5 to 1000.