UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

The study was conducted on 308 chickens in three districts of Manipur to identify helminth species and elucidate the effects of helminth infection in the gastrointestinal tracts of chickens kept under a local backyard production system. Postmortem findings identified a nematode species, seven cestode species, and one trematode species. The present investigation was undertaken in different localities of three districts of Manipur, namely Thoubal, Kakching, and Bisnupur, from May 2023 to April 2026, in the Department of Zoology, Parasitology Laboratory, Dhanamanjuri University, Imphal, Manipur, India. During this study, the following helminth parasites were reported from the state, as no earlier investigations had reported them. The parasites include the cestodes Raillietina tetragona, Raillietina echinobothrida, Raillietina cesticillus, Chaontaenia infundibulum, and Amoebotania cuniata. Among nematodes, the most commonly encountered roundworm was Heterakis gallinarum. Among trematodes, only one species was reported: Echinostoma revolutum. In conclusion, the study findings demonstrate a diverse nematode, cestode, and trematode fauna in domestic chickens across the three districts and show that necropsy, coprology, and molecular analysis provide complementary levels of taxonomic resolution. The study findings can support routine surveillance and integrated control through rational anthelmintic treatment, improved sanitation and litter management, reduced contact with intermediate hosts, separation of susceptible age groups and farmer awareness.