Abstract Published

 5th National Conference on Microbiology

(5th NCM)

Organized by Nepalese Society for Microbiology (NESOM) 

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

Upendra Thapa Shrestha^{1, 2}, Samarpan Kafle¹, Nabaraj Adhikari², Richard Bowen³

^{1, 2} Research Laboratory for Biotechnology and Biochemistry (RLABB), Sanepa, Lalitpur
² Department of Microbiology, Kantipur College of Medical Sciences, Sitapaila, KTM

³ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA

Corresponding Email: upendrats@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Pig production in Nepal is one of the rapidly growing livestock enterprises both in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Although pig farming contributes the second major source of meat, the proper growth of the farming is not seen as expected. Poor sanitation and lack of knowledge on pig related diseases are the two major problems causing economic loss in the business. The research was thus conducted to know the prevalence of parasites in pig and study its impacts on productivity and human health. A total of 300 fecal samples from pig were collected from two climatic ecozones; Kathmandu valley and Terai. The samples were processed immediately following standard protocol and the parasites present were identified by Microscopy. The socioeconomic status of farmers and environmental conditions in farming were obtained by direct interview using a questionnaire. Side by side, stool samples from the farmers and their families were also studied. Out of 150 samples from subtropical region (Kathmandu valley), 146 (96%) samples were found to contain intestinal parasites while all samples from tropical region (Teria) were found to be infected. About 69.03% and 98.67% of pig from Kathmandu valley and Terai were infected with multi-parasites respectively. Among protozoa, Blastocystis hominis was isolated in highest number accounting for 81.33 % followed by Eimeria spp (76.67%) and the least number of parasites were Isospora spp in sub-tropical regions. In contrast, slightly higher percent of hookworm and Ascaris suum infections accounting for 10% and 12% among pig population were observed in tropical regions. A significant loss of weight among the infected pig was observed in compare with healthy pig. However a slight variation in productivity loss was found among the pig from tropical and subtropical regions. The pig farmers were also found to be highly infected with parasites. Similar types of parasites were isolated from human stool samples as well. The transmission rate in human population was found to be 52 % and 68% among the pig farmers from subtropical and tropical regions respectively. The current situation of pig farming in Nepal was found to be extremely poor. Most of the farmers involved in the pig farming are uneducated and untrained. Lacking knowledge on pig parasites, sanitation and adaption to climatic variations are the major problems in loss of productivity. Indirectly they are also responsible for spread of Zoonotic infections.

Keywords: Pig farming, Parasites, Climatic ecozones, Productivity, Zoonotic disease

Photograph: Presenting above work at 5th National Conference on Microbiology (5th NCM)