Gastrointestinal Helminths in Camels Slaughtered at Tamboul, Sudan: Prevalence and Risk Factor Analysis

Gastrointestinal helminth infections represent a major constraint to livestock productivity in arid and semi-arid regions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, diagnostic performance, and associated risk factors of gastrointestinal helminths in camels slaughtered at the Tamboul Slaughterhouse, Gezira State, Sudan. A total of 60 camels were examined using three diagnostic techniques: direct faecal smear, sedimentation, and flotation tests. Helminth eggs were identified microscopically and classified to genus level. Of the total examined animals, 49 (81.7%) tested positive for one or more helminth genera. The most frequently detected species were Schistosoma (18.3%), Taenia (15.0%), and Paramphistomum (11.6%). The direct faecal smear demonstrated the highest diagnostic sensitivity (81.7%), while the flotation method showed the lowest (25%). Chi-square tests indicated no significant association between infection status and sex (χ²(1) = 0.00, p = 1.00), age (χ²(3) = 3.56, p = 0.314), or geographical origin (χ²(2) = 3.99, p = 0.136). The results confirm that gastrointestinal helminthiasis is endemic among camels in the Tamboul region, although infection prevalence did not differ significantly among demographic groups. The high infection rate highlights the need for improved helminth surveillance, regular deworming programs, and enhanced husbandry practices to reduce parasitic burdens and economic losses in camel production systems.

University of Al-Butana