The present study on prevalence of haemoparasites in village chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Maiduguri comprising the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere district of Borno State, Nigeria was done between November, 2015 and January, 2016. A total of 200 blood samples were collected from chickens of both sexes slaughtered in poultry market/dressing slabs located in Custom market and Monday market Maiduguri and transported to the teaching and research laboratory department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri Nigeria, for analysis. Giemsa-stained thin blood smears were prepared and screened for the presence of haemoparasites. Microscopic examination of the thin blood smears revealed that thirty-four (34) of the sampled chickens were infected with at least one genus of haemoparasites, with overall prevalence of 17.0% for Haemoproteus, and/or Plasmodium spp. Result also revealed that single infection with Haemoproteus spp. shows higher prevalence (50.9%) than Plasmoduim spp. (29.4%) or mixed infection with Plasmodium spp. + Haemoproteus spp. (17.6%). There was higher sex specific prevalent rate in cock (20.5%) than in Hen (11.5%). There was also a strong association between sex and presence of haemoparasite in village chicken (χ²= 3.09). However, the distribution of the haemoparasites among the sex of the host chickens was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Similarly the likelihood of getting more haemoparasite in male (cock) than in female (hen) is less (OR= 0.73, and 95% CI = 0.344 − 1.561).

The present study was carried out between the months of October, 2014 to April, 2015 and aimed at determining the dry season prevalence of avian coccidia infection and their degree of severity among domesticated chickens (Gallus domesticus) in Jere Council, Borno State, Nigeria. A total of 430 fresh faecal and gut samples were collected from chickens of both exotic and local breeds. The samples were examined using floatation and intestinal impulsion smear techniques. The study was conducted among breeds (exotic vs. local), sexes (male vs. female), ages (young vs. adult), management systems (intensive vs. extensive) and housing (cage vs. deep litter). Out of the 430 faecal samples examined, 54 (12.60%) were positive for various Eimeria species. Infection was more in the exotic (7.90%) than the local breed (4.70%). Coccidia infection found in young (10.0%) was higher (P= 0.0001) than in adult chickens (2.60%), while female ones had higher (P= 0.03) number of coccidia than the males. Chickens reared under poor management system showed higher infection (10.20%) compared to the good management one (2.30%). Chickens reared under intensive deep litter housing has higher coccidial load (9.30%) than those reared under extensive system (3.30%). Eimeria necatrix had the highest degree (42.60%) of severity score (+4), followed by Eimeria acervulina (27.80%), Eimeria tenella (24.10%) and E. maxima (5.60%) with degrees of severity scores +3, +4 and (+3) respectively. In conclusion, there was presence of coccidia infection in Jere area of Borno State, Nigeria.

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