Demeke Meselu, Rahmeto Abebe and Berhanu Mekibib
Epizootic lymphangitis (EL) is a debilitating equine disease that in its classical form is characterized by chronic discharging cutaneous nodules. The disease has been reported to be endemic in Ethiopia, a country where equids provide a vital utility and source of income to many people in resource-poor settings. This study was conducted in Bahir Dar town, Northwest Ethiopia to investigate the prevalence, risk factors and bodily distribution of lesions of EL in cart-mules. To this effect, both clinical and microscopic examinations were made on a total of 402 mules and an overall prevalence of 32.84% (132/402) was recorded. The mules had nodular, ulcerative pyogranulomatous lesions following the lymphatic lines of the legs (79.6%), on their neck (9.85%), around the inguinal area (6.82%), on their back (2.27%) and on their perineum (1.52%). None of the risk factors considered (sex, body condition score, use of harness, and presence of wound prior to the disease) were noted to be significantly associated with the presence of EL on mules (p>0.05). Moreover, 34% of the cart-mule owners were reported not to allow mules affected with EL offwork even for a single day. In conclusion, the present study has revealed a high prevalence of EL in mules and it is the second work in Ethiopia disproving the assumption that mules are resistant to the disease. Thus, early detection of the disease and treatment with effective drugs and restriction of movement of affected animals is recommended to prevent the spread of the disease to unaffected equids. Also, future studies are required to find out the factors predisposing mules to EL.
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