| dc.description.abstract | Coccidiosis, a parasitic infection, though self-limiting, is associated with significant and wide-ranging disease manifestations and economic losses. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2023 to June 2023 in Adjumani Town Council, Adjumani district, with the objective of determining the prevalence of coccidiosis and the associated risk factors among broiler chicken. A total of 334 freshly voided and cloaccal faecal samples were collected from 16 farms for isolation of coccidial oocysts. The samples were then transported in cool box with icepacks to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity’s (CoVAB) parasitological laboratory for examination. In the laboratory, the samples were stored in the refrigerator at 4° C until they were processed using the Floatation technique to isolate the coccidian oocysts. The prevalence of coccidial oocysts among the faecal samples was 69.5%. From the examined chickens, higher intensity of infection was observed in the younger (<6 weeks) age group (60.7%) than adult (>6 weeks) chickens (30.3%). The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.015). The study showed relatively higher prevalence in poor body condition (score 1 and 2) chickens (49.1%) than medium body condition score (score 2.5) chickens (44%) and good body condition (score 3-5) chickens (6.9%), (p =0.01). There was a higher prevalence of coccidiosis in the bare floor units (54.7%) than in the deep litter (45.3%), (p =0.03).The majority of the chickens had light intensity of infection (≤10,000 oocysts per gram), 172 (74.1%). It is concluded that coccidiosis was highly prevalent in the study area and its occurrence in the farming units was highly associated with young age, poor body conditions, inadequate management and housing system. Therefore, appropriate control strategies should be designed considering the important risk factors such as, breed, age, management system, and housing system. | en_US |
