Prevalence and associated factors of balantidiasis in buffaloes of Bhola district, Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Balantidium coli is an important enteric protozoan disease of livestock. This study has been undertaken to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of balantidiasis of Bhola district, Bangladesh. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out from March 2018 to February 2019. A total of 200 buffalo fecal samples were examined through direct smear method. The difference of the prevalence among different variables was evaluated by chi-square test. Results: The overall prevalence of balantidiasis was observed to be 39.0%. Prevalence of B. coli infection was relatively higher in adult buffaloes (44.44%) aged more than 5 years than young (42.65%) aged > 2- ≤ 5 years and buffalo calves (25.49%) aged ≤ 2 years. Higher prevalence of B. coli was observed in female (43.31%) than male (31.51%) buffaloes. Significantly higher prevalence of B. coli infection was observed in rainy season (52.22%) than winter season (20%). Conclusion: Preventive and therapeutic measures against balantidiasis should be undertaken in rainy season.

Characteristics of buffalo traders and their business status at Bhola district in Bangladesh

“…Still, no systematic linkage exists in the Bhola district among the producers, traders, and processors in response to the fluctuations in meat demand. Several studies have been undertaken in the Bhola district of Bangladesh focusing on the productive and reproductive performances of buffalo, socio-economic status of buffalo keepers, management practices, milk production systems (Uddin et al, 2016;Rahman et al, 2019), buffalo diseases like prevalence of balantidiasis (Biswas et al, 2020) and subclinical mastitis (Aliul et al, 2020). Buffalo buying-selling is a common phenomenon in the Bhola district caused by the affluent buffalo population.…”