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A total of 30 (20 males and 10 females) Speckled Pigeons trapped from the wild in Zaria and its environs, Nigeria, were examined for ectoparasites and intestinal helminths, to determine the prevalence, intensity and mean intensity of infestation and infection. The plumages of the birds were brushed onto a white sheet of paper placed in a tray for the collection of ectoparasites, while the gastrointestinal tracts of the birds were examined for helminths. Eighteen (60.0%) of the birds were infested by three species of ectoparasites. The ectoparasites comprised of lice: 17 (56.7%) Menopon gallinae Linnaeus 1758, 18 (60.0%) Columbicola columbae Linnaeus 1758 and flies: 9 (30.0%) Pseudolynchia canariensis Macquart 1840. Single, double and triple infestations were found in 1(3.3%), 8(26.7%) and 9(30.0%) respectively, though the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The sex-specific infestation rate was 12(60.0%) in males and 6(60.0%) in females. Seventeen (56.7%) birds were infected by helminths represented by four species of cestodes recovered from the gastrointestinal tract. The cestodes were represented by Raillietina tetragona Molin, 1858 1(3.3%), Raillietina cesticillus Molin, 1858 8(26.7%), Amoebotaenia cuneata Linstow, 1872 4(13.3%) and Hymenolepis carioca Magalhaes, 1898 4(13.3%). Single infection was the only infection type observed. The sex-specific rate of infection was 11(55.0%) in males and 6(60.0%) in females. This study portrays the Speckled Pigeons as a probable definitive host of some ectoparasites and helminths.

. A total of 312 animals comprising of 155 sheep and 157 goats were examined and using the hand picking and hair brushing methods, ectoparasites present on the animals were collected. Of the 312 animals examined, 30 sheep representing 19.4% and 22 goats representing 14.0% were infested. The ectoparasites identified on sheep were Lice: Damalinia ovis 6 (3.9%), Ticks: Rhipicephalus sp. 5 (3.2%), Amblyomma sp. 9 (5.8%), Boophilus sp. 10 (6.5%) and Fleas: Ctenocephalides felis 8 (5.2%). The ectoparasites identified on goats were Lice: Damalinia ovis 6 (3.8%), Ticks: Rhipicephalus sp. 8 (5.1%), Amblyomma sp. 2 (1.3%), Boophilus sp. 5 (3.2%), Ixodes ricinus 3 (1.9%), Hyalomma sp. 4 (2.5%) and Mites: Sarcoptes scabiei 3 (1.3%). Ectoparasite infestations were higher in young animals; 11 (19.6%) in sheep and 15 (22.7%) in goats than in adult animals; 19 (19.2%) in sheep and 7 (7.7%) in goats. Female animals of 21 (24.1%) sheep and 17 (22.4%) goats were more infested than male animals of 9 (13.2%) sheep and 5 (6.2%) goats. Single infestations recorded in 22 (14.2%) sheep and 13 (8.3%) goats were higher than double infestations recorded in 8 (5.2%) sheep and 9 (5.7%) goats. The highest mean ectoparasite burden was 14.0±1.2 per host and the lowest mean ectoparasite burden was 1.6±1.9 per host in both sheep and goats. Chi square test revealed no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of ectoparasite infestations between sheep and goats, in age of sheep and goats, in sex and age of sheep, in single and double infestations of sheep and goats (p>0.05) but revealed statistically significant differences in sex of sheep and goats, in sex and age of goats (p<0.05). The study concludes that ectoparasites are common to both sheep and goats in Gombe and could affect their health and productivity as well as their economic and market value.

The susceptibility of Adult female Culex quinquefasciatus to test papers impregnated with 0.15% Cyfluthrin, 0.1% Propoxur and 5% Malathion was assessed using the standard World Health Organization (WHO) protocol insecticide susceptibility test kits and impregnated papers recommended for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS). Mortality of Culex quinquefasciatus recorded 24 hrs post exposure indicated 100% susceptibility to all the 3 insecticides. Results obtained indicate that knockdown of Culex quinquefasciatus was related to the duration of exposure indicated by the following equations for each of the insecticides: 0.1%Propoxur Y= -7.7+5.70X, 0.15% Cyfluthrin Y = -4+3.32X and 5%Malathion Y= -5.8+4.30X. The Predicted KDT 50 and KDT 95 were for 0.1% Propoxur, KDT 50 20.9 mins and KDT 95 30.2 mins , 0.15% Cyfluthrin KDT 50 12.7 mins and KDT 95 18.1 mins, 5% Malathion KDT 50 15.7 mins & KDT 95 22.8 mins. All the three insecticides had knockdown times below 1 hr. However the knockdown time of 0.15%Cyfluthrin was clearly lower than each of the other test insecticides. These baseline results are of use in Gombe State in the current control efforts of disease vectors by the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria.

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