Prevalence of Eimeria species in goats in Sulaimanya province, Iraq

The aim of this study is to determine prevalance of Eimeria species in goats in Sulaimaniye province. This study was done between August 2016– March 2017 in seven different districts (Arbat, Sewng, Zewe, Khalakan, Sitak, Shex rash and Bewre) by visiting these locations at least once and taking feces samples randomly from 150 healthy goats (75 male, 75 female). Feces samples were taken directly from goat's rectum and treated with Sheather solution by flotation method and examined under microscope. 9 different Eimeria species oocysts were observed in 134 (89.33%) out of 150 samples. The identified species were E. alijevi, E. arloingi, E. ninakohlyakimovae, E. christenseni (ahsata), E. caprovina, E. caprina, E. hirci (crandallis), E.apsheronica (faurei), E. jolchijevi. E. alijevi (61.94%) and E. christenseni (60.44%), were the most common while E. caprinova (5.22%) was the least common. The highest rate of infection according to location was in Khalakan (100%), according to gender males (92%), according to age 0-1 years old male kid goats (92.24%), was reported. According to gender, the most common Eimeria species in females were E. alıjevi and E. christenseni (50.76%) and in males was E. alıjevi (72.46%), among the infected goats. Among the examined 150 goat feces samples 10.67% was not infected, 13.33% were infected with only one Eimeria species and 76% were mixed infections; highest rate of mixed infection include 9 Eimeria species. As a result, this study has determined the prevalence of Eimeria species in goats in Sulaimanya province, Iraq for the first time and identified 9 different species of Eimeria in goats. The results of this study have proved that coccidial infection is common in goats in Sulaimaniye Province.