Fouzia Yousfi

• Biodiversity Journal, 4 (1): 229-234

  Fouzia Yousfi, Kheira Senouci, Ilyes Medjoual, Hanene Djellil & Touria Hadj Slimane
  Gastrointestinal helminths in the local chicken Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) in traditional breeding of North-Western Algeria

  ABSTRACT
  This study was aimed to identify the gastrointestinal helminths of local chicken, Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758), in traditional breeding of North-Western Algeria and to determine their prevalence and average abundance. For this purpose, 114 local chickens were examined between November 2010 and May 2012. The results show an overall prevalence of 100%, with a mean intensity of infection of 124 parasites per chicken. The birds were infected whatever the sex, weight and season. The parasitic fauna was composed of four taxonomic groups with prevalence significantly different (P<0.05): cestodes (95.61%), nematodes (93.86%), trematodes (18.42%) and acanthocephalan (1.75%). The most prevalent cestode species encountered were: Raillietina echinobothrida (85.09%), R. cesticillus (30.70%) and Hymenolepis carioca (28.95%). The predominant nematode species were Heterakis gallinarum (78.07%), Subulura brumpti (62.28%), Ascaridia galli (39.47%) and Capillaria caudinflata (35.96%). The trematode species recorded were Postharmostomum gallinum (18.42%) and Brachylaema sp. (2.63%). Finally, only one acanthocephalan, Prosthorhynchus sp. (1.75%), was found. Among these helminths, the highest average abundance occurred with Heterakis gallinarum (39.04) and Subulura brumpti (35.88). This study revealed the importance of helminthic parasitism in traditional breeding of NW Algeria, and the need to use preventive and therapeutic measures for a better profitability of poultry algerian production.

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