A survey was carried out on Saudi sheep and goats during 1995, at the Veter
inary Diagnostic laboratory, Jeddah, to study Setaria infection in small ru
minants in Saudi Arabia. Setaria digitata worms were detected in the abdomi
nal cavity of 5 out of 48 goats (10.4%). Sheep were not found to be infecte
d. All infected goats were adults of 2-4 years of age and originating from
the Jeddah, Mecca and Al-Leith areas. Four cases were recorded during Janua
ry-March and one during August. No lesions due to S, digitata were found in
the visceral organs and brains of the infected goats. This is the first re
cord of patent infection with S. digitnta in goats. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scien
ce B.V. All rights reserved.