Author(s)

Fufa Abunna, Sisay Fentaye, Bekele Megersa, Alemayehu Regassa

School of Veterinary Medicine, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
School of Veterinary Medicine, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia;.

A study to determine the prevalence of bovine hydatidosis was conducted in Kombolcha ELFORA abattoir. A total of 400 cattle randomly sampled and examined after slaughter for the presence of hydatid cysts in the organs and viscera of the animals using the standard meat inspection procedures. Positive or suspected samples were taken to the parasitology laboratory at the Kombolcha regional laboratory and cyst identification, fertility and viability tests were performed. The statistical analysis showed that there was no difference (P > 0.05) between the prevalence of bovine hydatidosis and sex of animals, P > 0.05. The prevalence of hydatidosis was also found to be significant with the age and origin of the study animals (P < 0.05). Of 191 cysts examined, 154(80.63%) calcified, 1(0.51%) sterile, and 36(18.85%) fertile cysts. From the total fertile cysts, 24(72.22%) were found to be viable. Of 108 cysts recorded in the lung, 74(68.52%) calcified, 1(0.93%) sterile, 21(19.44%) viable and 12(11.11%) were non viable. Furthermore, of 70 cysts recorded in the liver, 67 (95.71%) were found to be calcified and 3(4.29%) viable. A total of 16,068 cattle were slaughtered from 2003 to August 2007 and the overall 1955 (12.17%) prevalence of hydatidosis was recorded. The results of this study showed that hydatidosis pose significant economic problems by causing condemnation of considerable numbers organs, rendering them unfit for market. Therefore, initiation and implementation of control measures is necessary in order to alleviate its economic impact as well as zoonotic risks to the human.

Abattoir; Hydatidosis; Cattle; Prevalence; Kombolcha; Ethiopia

Abunna, F. , Fentaye, S. , Megersa, B. and Regassa, A. (2012) Prevalence of bovine hydatidosis in Kombolcha ELFORA abattoir, North Eastern Ethiopia. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 2, 281-286. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2012.24038.