Prevalence and Epizootiological Characteristics of Helminth Infections in Cattle and Sheep in Selected Districts of Surkhandarya and Kashkadarya Regions, Uzbekistan

Helminth infections remain among the major parasitic diseases affecting livestock productivity by reducing animal health, growth performance, and the quality of meat and milk production. This study evaluated the prevalence and species composition of helminth infections in cattle and sheep from selected districts of the Surkhandarya and Kashkadarya regions of Uzbekistan. A total of 402 animals, including 182 cattle and 220 sheep, were examined using the Fülleborn flotation technique, sequential sedimentation method, and the modified Baermann–Orlov technique. Helminth infections were highly prevalent in both animal species, with overall prevalence rates of 76.81% (169/220) in sheep and 71.97% (131/182) in cattle. Gastrointestinal strongyle infections predominated in both species. In cattle, the principal helminthoses included gastrointestinal strongylosis, fasciolosis, marshallagiosis, nematodirosis, monieziosis, and paramphistomosis, whereas sheep were mainly infected with gastrointestinal strongylosis, marshallagiosis, fasciolosis, and nematodirosis. Infection prevalence increased with animal age, reflecting prolonged exposure under local grazing conditions. These findings demonstrate that helminth infections remain widespread in livestock of southern Uzbekistan and highlight the need for continuous epidemiological surveillance, strategic anthelmintic treatment, and integrated parasite control programs to improve animal health and productivity.

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