Occurrence and seasonal predisposition of fasciolosis in cattle and goats slaughtered in Kasulu district abattoir, Western Tanzania
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Date
2013
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Publisher
ROAVS
Abstract
A 3 year study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of fasciolosis in cattle and goats slaughtered at Kasulu
district abattoir. It involved 33 months (July, 2010 to March, 2013) retrospective data collected as abattoir records
and three months (April, 2013 to June, 2013) prospective meat inspection by researchers, during which adult worm
and egg samples were collected for morphometric identification. During the study period, a total of 8410 cattle and
8424 goats were slaughtered and inspected; out of which 6376 (76%) and 2295 (26%) were found to be infected
with fasciolosis respectively. The study observed significant seasonal pattern of fasciolosis in cattle with higher
prevalence observed during the dry season. Worm and egg identification suggested that F. gigantica was responsible
for the infections in slaughtered cattle and goats. This is the first study to report the occurrence of fasciolosis in
domesticated ruminants in western Tanzania and has established that fasciolosis is highly prevalent in cattle and
goats. Effective control strategies need to be put in place focusing on both the parasite and the snail intermediate
hosts.
Description
Journal article
Keywords
Fasciolosis, Cattle, Goats, Western zone, Tanzania