ABSTRACT
Chicken remains the most intensively reared domesticated poultry species in the animal production industry in Africa. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to November 2016 in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria to evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal and malaria parasites of local and exotic domestic fowls. A total of 620 domestic fowls were examined for gastrointestinal parasites in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria, using the flotation technique. Another 16 (10 exotic and six local) domestic fowls were examined for Plasmodium infection and Packed Cell Volume (PCV). Five species of parasites were identified from the domestic fowls which included Ascaridia galli (54.2%), Heterakis gallinarum (15.5%), Capillaria sp. (8.2%), Raillietina sp. (20.8%) and Syngamus trachea (1.4%). Ascaridia galli had the highest prevalence in both the local (male = 50%, female = 48.5%) and exotic domestic fowls (male = 62.5%, female = 55.7%), followed by Raillietina sp., Heterakis gallinarum, Capillaria sp. and Syngamus trachea respectively. Plasmodium sp. was detected in two (33.3%) out of six local domestic fowls and two (20%) out of 10 exotic domestic fowls. The relationship between the PCV and malaria parasite prevalence level in both local and exotic domestic fowls were negative and not statistically significant (p>0.05). However, the relationship between the PCV and malaria parasite prevalence was stronger in the local domestic fowls (R = 0.207) than in the exotic domestic fowls (R = 0.172). It is necessary that public awareness scheme, and prevention and control measures with better management system be introduced in the study area.