Prevalence of Coccidiosis in Broiler Chickens in Djôrô Region, Southwestern Burkina Faso

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Résumé

In Burkina Faso, the poultry industry faces significant health challenges, notably coccidiosis, an intestinal parasitic disease that results in substantial economic losses. This cross-sectional clustered study aimed to determine the prevalence and oocyst load of Eimeria (E.) spp. in litter-derived fecal samples from broiler chickens in Batié, Dano, Diébougou, and Gaoua in the Djôrô region of Burkina Faso. The study was conducted from June to September 2024. A total of 600 fresh fecal samples were collected from broiler chickens aged 35 to 45 days, originating from 30 traditional and 30 modern farms across the Djôrô region. The droppings were collected from litter, placed in airtight plastic bags, and stored in cooling boxes at 4°C, then transferred to the Laboratory of Animal Biology and Physiology at the Gaoua University Center, Burkina Faso, for subsequent parasitological analysis. Samples were examined using a modified McMaster flotation procedure with saturated sodium chloride, and oocyst counts were determined. For postmortem examination, 25 broiler chickens were randomly selected from a local poultry market in Gaoua, Burkina Faso, then slaughtered and plucked on-site the same day. The plucked, uneviscerated carcasses were then stored in cooling boxes at 4°C, and the intestinal tracts were later analyzed at the laboratory for macroscopic lesion identification and site localization. Out of the 600 samples analyzed, 439 (73.17%) tested positive for Eimeria spp. oocysts. Positivity rates ranged from 62.7% in Dano city to 92.0% in Diébougou city, with Batié and Gaoua at 72.7% and 65.3%, respectively. Diébougou city had the highest mean oocyst count (40,310.67 ± 2,863.40 OPG). Descriptively, traditional farms had higher oocysts per gram of feces (OPG) values than modern farms. Postmortem examination identified E. acervulina (13/25), E. maxima (8/25), and E. necatrix (4/25) in the intestinal tracts of chickens obtained from the Gaoua slaughter market. Nevertheless, postmortem findings were not generalized to the Djôrô region. The current results demonstrated the substantial Eimeria contamination on broiler farms in the Djôrô region, Burkina Faso, and supported the need for improved litter management, biosecurity, and farmer training on coccidiosis prevention.

Mots-clés

Broiler chicken, Coccidiosis, Eimeria spp., Oocyst, Prevalence