{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T20:54:24Z","timestamp":1790024064099,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":76,"publisher":"Cambridge University Press (CUP)","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,8]],"date-time":"2026-04-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775606400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":97,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Helminthol."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, and published estimates determined the pooled prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode parasites affecting free-ranging chickens in Africa. Peer-reviewed articles published between 1993 and 2024 were systematically searched and screened. Prevalence estimates based on 76 eligible articles showed that of the 74,789 free-ranging chickens screened, 13,625 were infected with gastrointestinal nematodes with an overall pooled prevalence of 15% (95% CI: 13\u201318%). Twenty-seven nematode species were recorded, of which\n                    <jats:italic>Ascaridia galli<\/jats:italic>\n                    and\n                    <jats:italic>Heterakis gallinarum<\/jats:italic>\n                    were the commonly reported species. Southern Africa recorded the highest pooled prevalence (22%; 95% CI: 13\u201333%), and western Africa had the lowest (5%; 95% CI: 0\u20132%) despite recording the highest nematode species diversity. Tetrameridae had the highest family-level pooled prevalence of 46% (95% CI: 28\u201364%), and Spiruridae had the lowest 1% (95% CI: 0\u20133%). Most studies were conducted between the period 2014 and 2024; however, the highest pooled prevalence was observed between 1993 and 2002 (17%; 95% CI: 11\u201324%). The necropsy technique recorded the highest pooled prevalence (17%; 95% CI: 14\u201320%) compared to coproscopy (10%; 95% CI: 7\u201314%). The quality effects model revealed a high heterogeneity and publication bias among studies due to the diagnostic method used (\n                    <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                    &lt;0.05). This systematic review provided insightful information on the occurrence and potential burden of gastrointestinal nematode species of free-ranging chickens in Africa, highlighting the need for enhanced biosecurity and further research to safeguard their health, production, and food security of rural economies.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1017\/s0022149x26101400","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,8]],"date-time":"2026-04-08T05:47:02Z","timestamp":1775627222000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematodes of free-ranging chickens (\n                    <i>Gallus gallus domesticus<\/i>\n                    ) in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"100","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-6249-8632","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"I.","family":"Walter","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04qzfn040","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of KwaZulu-Natal"},{"name":"Chinhoyi University of Technology"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6188-4204","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M. 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