Patent infection with Setaria digitata in goats in Saudi Arabia

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.