COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PARASITIC INFECTIONS IN PIG POPULATION FROM DIFFERENT CLIMATIC ECOZONES OF NEPAL AND ITS IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY AND HUMAN HEALTH

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PARASITIC INFECTIONS IN PIG POPULATION FROM DIFFERENT CLIMATIC ECOZONES OF NEPAL AND ITS IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY AND HUMAN HEALTH

(Selected for USAID Grant)

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Mr. Upendra Thapa Shrestha, M.Sc. Microbiology (Environment and Public Health Microbiology)

·         Faculty, Kantipur College of Medical Science (KCMS), affiliated to Tribhuvan University, Sitapaila, Kathmandu.

·         Research Assistant (Deputy Director), Research Laboratory for Biotechnology and Biochemistry; RLABB, (Contact address: Email:upendrats@gmail.com; Mobile: 9841431476)

CO-INVESTIGATORS

1.      Mr. Nabaraj Adhikari, M.Sc. Microbiology (Medical)

·         Coordinator, Kantipur College of Medical Science (KCMS) affiliated to Tribhuvan University, Sitapaila, Kathmandu

2.      Mr. Jivan Shakya, M.Sc. Microbiology (Medical)

·         Research Assistant, Centre for Molecular Dynamics-Nepal (CMDN)

ABSTRACT

Pig production in Nepal is one of the rapidly growing livestock enterprises both in tropical and sub-tropical regions, contributing the second major source of meat. The research will therefore focus on the prevalence of parasites in pig at two different climatic ecozones and also study its impacts on productivity and human health. Regarding research design, subtropical (Kathmandu valley) and tropical (Nawalparasi and Biratnagar) regions will be selected as two different sampling sites and parasites that affect both pig and farmers will be studied. One hundred and fifty stool samples and 150 blood samples of pigs will be collected from each sampling site. Simultaneously, 50 stool samples from each region will be collected from pig farmers of same study group. All climatic conditions including temperature, humidity, wind velocity etc will be recorded throughout the research period with the help of meteorologist. All stool samples will be preserved in formalin and transported to KCMS for further study. The pig stool samples will be observed for intestinal parasites (Giardia duodenalis, Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis, Balatidium coli and Strongyloides spp.). The blood samples will be processed to harvest the serum and will be transported to KCMS to detect antibodies against Taenia solium and Toxoplasma gondii by serodiagnosis method. The parasitic infections will be studied among the pig farmers of same study group. The prevalence of parasites will be determined in both pig population and farmers. The data will be statistically analyzed using chi square test. Finally, the study will describe the interrelationship between climate change, its effects on livestock production and human health.