Bovine Lungworm: Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in Haramaya Town, Ethiopia

Lungworm infection, caused by a nematode parasite, leads to bronchitis or pneumonia, high-mortality rates in cattle, and significant economic losses.

This study is aimed at assessing the prevalence of bovine lungworm and identify potential risk factors in Haramaya town, Ethiopia.

A cross-sectional study design was employed from December 2023 to April 2024, with animals selected using a simple random sampling method. Prevalence and associated risk factors were analyzed using chi-square and logistic regression tests in Stata Version 17.

A total of 384 cattle fecal samples were collected and analyzed in the Haramaya veterinary parasitology laboratory for larvae identification. Of these samples, 16 (4.2%) tested positive for lungworm infection. Logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between the disease and factors such as age, body condition, and management systems (p ≤ 0.05). The prevalence of lungworm infection was significantly higher in cattle with poor body condition (8.7%) than those in good condition (3.6% and 1.4%). Cattle with poor body condition were 0.6 times more likely (OR = 0.6, C I = 0.308-1.16) to be infected than those with good body condition. Cattle in extensive management systems had 4.26 times higher odds (OR = 4.26, C I = 1.16-15.62) of being infected compared with those in intensive management systems. Furthermore, young cattle were 0.23 times more likely (OR = 0.23, C I = 0.078-0.7) to be infected than adults.

The relatively low prevalence of bovine lungworm in this region carries notable economic consequences. To mitigate these impacts, preventive measures such as vaccination and deworming should be implemented.