Abstract
The poultry industry is an infant but rapidly growing sector in Ethiopia. Although poultry farming is one of the Ethiopian government's developmental initiatives, the sector is facing various challenges, particularly due to infectious diseases. Among infectious diseases, helminthiasis is one of the challenges affecting poultry production. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2023 to determine the occurrence and associated risk factors of nematode infections in intensively managed commercial poultry farming in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. Representative pooled fecal samples were collected from 60 poultry farms and examined for the presence of worm eggs by using the flotation technique. Gastrointestinal nematode eggs were identified based on their morphological characteristics. Coprological analysis results reveal that out of 60 poultry farms screened, 19 (31.7%) were tested positive. The most identified worms were Ascaridia galli 11 (18.3%), followed by Heterakis gallinarum 3 (5%), Trichostrongylus tenuis 3 (5%), Syngamus trachea 2 (3.3%), and Capillaria species 1 (1.7%). Production types, management practices, and proximity to other farms were found to significantly (p < 0.05) influence the occurrence of worm infections. The prevalence of worm infections was significantly lower (6.06%, p < 0.05) in the farms using footbaths as compared to farms not utilizing footbaths (62.96%). Similarly, significantly higher (p < 0.05) prevalence was observed in the farms that did not apply wet cleaning (76.2%) and chemical disinfection (66.7%) as compared to those using wet cleaning (7.7%) or chemical disinfection (16.7%) during farm downtime. However, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between age groups and poultry farm scale. This study strongly suggests that gastrointestinal nematode infections pose a significant challenge to poultry production. Therefore, implementing effective worm control strategies, such as regular deworming, implementing proper farm hygiene practices, and strict biosecurity measures, is strongly recommended.