Prevalence of hydatid cysts in goats and sheep a slaughtered in Soroti Municipal Abattoir Eastern Uganda

Abstract

Hydatidosis is a significant public health problem especially in developing countries such as Uganda where sanitation is poor and people live in close proximity with each other and with animals. An abattoir based study was conducted to determine the prevalence of hydatid cyst in sheep and goats slaughtered at Soroti Municipal Abattoir from March to April 2014. A total of 454 animals comprising 294 goats and 160 sheep of both sexes were examined at postmortem for the evidence of hydatid cyst through visual inspection, incision and palpation of organs and viscera. The overall infection rate of 33.33% in goats and 42.50% in sheep were observed. The result of the study revealed that goats and sheep more than three years old had the highest prevalence. In conclusion, the observed prevalence was high; an indicator that the human population is at risk. The prevalence levels warrant further epidemiological studies, stricter abattoir hygiene, and restricted domestic slaughter of livestock. Dog population control by killing of stray dogs and sterilization of owned dogs is urgently required. Deworming of ruminants and owned dogs in conjunction with mass community sensitization about the dangers of having the dog faeces inadvertently in the human food chain is required.