Pervasiveness of Fasciolosis in Sheep in Yilmana-Densa District, West Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Northwestern Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted from September to December 2011 to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with ovine fasciolosis in Yilmana-Densa district, West Gojjam, Amhara region. For this purpose, 384 rectal faecal samples were collected from sheep and examined using the standard sedimentation technique to detect Fasciola eggs. Out of them, 163 (42.44%) were positive for fasciolosis. A statistical significant variation (P < 0.05) in prevalence was observed among age groups where higher prevalence was recorded in adults (51.40%) than young animals (17%). Likewise, there was a statistical significant difference (P<0.05) in infection prevalence within the sex groups in which it was higher in females (53.06%) than in male animals (23.74%). Significant variation (P < 0.05) in infection rate among different body condition scores was observed in which higher prevalence was recorded in poor (64.28%) than in good (22.77%) body conditioned animals. The present study revealed that infection of sheep by fasciolosis was attributed to the presence of favorable environment for the abundance of intermediate host and the parasite, hence requiring immediate strategic intervention against the disease.