Epidemiology of Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera: Mallophaga) Fauna of Poultry in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract

Chewing lice are among the most significant ectoparasites affecting poultry, causing irritation, anemia, and reduced productivity, thereby posing economic and welfare challenges for poultry farmers. Their impact is particularly pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa, where poultry production is predominantly free-range with limited biosecurity, which increases exposure to infestation. This review was conducted to determine the epidemiology of chewing lice species of poultry in sub-Saharan African countries. A search of peer-reviewed literature on the epidemiology of chewing lice species of poultry was conducted on four electronic databases from 1990 to 2024. Nineteen species of chewing lice, namely,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and, were reported from six poultry species distributed across ten African countries. The identification of the chewing lice species was primarily based on microscopic examination of the morphological features, which resulted in the exclusion of some studies that failed to identify lice to the species level. Poultry species infested included chickens (), turkeys (), ducks (), guinea fowls (), pigeons (), and geese (). Nigeria recorded the highest number of chewing lice species. The genusshowed the highest species diversity, andwas the most predominant species, reported in nine of the ten reviewed countries. Infestations were mostly reported in chickens compared to other poultry species, and the prevalence ranged from 1.28% in chickens in Ethiopia to 100% in chickens from Zimbabwe. Results from this review provide valuable insights into the species diversity and regional distribution patterns of chewing lice fauna, highlighting their dispersion and host associations. The review will serve as a valuable resource in the design of effective and sustainable prevention and control strategies of chewing lice, especially in free-range chickens reared by resource-poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa.