Prevalence of hydatidosisandtaenia hydatigena in slaughtered small ruminants at Sanga town council abattoir, Kiruhura district, Uganda.

Abstract

Aim: Echinococcosis or hydatidosis (due to the larval stage of Echinococcus spp.) and cysticercosis (due to the larval stage of Taenia hydatigena) poses a significant economic loss due to slaughter condemnation and ante-mortem effects such as weight loss, emaciation among others in developing countries such as Uganda where sanitation is poor and people live in close proximity with each other and with animals. This study was conducted to determine-the prevalence of Hydatidosis and Taenia hydatigena cysticercosis in sheep and goats slaughtered at Sanga town abattoir Iocated in the: areas of L. Mburo National Park, Kiruhura District, Uganda. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional based survey was conducted, from March 2018 to May 2018, whereby a total of 349 animals, comprising 262 goats and 67 sheep of both sexes were examined at post-mortem for the evidence of larval stages of Echinococcus spp. (hydatid cyst) and T. hydatigena (Cysticercus tenuicollis) through visual inspection, incision and palpation of organs and viscera. Results: The overall prevalence of echinococcosis was 1.8% with 0.8% and 6.0%, in goats and sheep, respectively while the overall infection rates for cysticercosis were 27.5% in goats and 43.3% in sheep. The result of this study revealed that goats and sheep from Sanga sub county had significantly higher prevalence of T. hydatigena (C.tenuicollis) and hydatid cysts. (p<O.05) compared to other sub counties. The lungs and the liver were the most affected with 75% and 25% respectively and the result of the study also revealed that- goats and sheep more than two years old had the highest prevalence 'and T. hydatigena (C.tentiicollis) cysts were more frequently. detected in the omentum than other visceral organs among the animals, examined. Conclusion: In conclusion the observed high prevalence of the two metacestodes larval stages leads to high condemnation rates of edible offals and ante-mortem losses due to weight loss among others in domestic ruminants. This underscores for the need to undertake mote extensive epidemiological investigations to better determine the causal factors, economic impact and public health importance of the disease in this Pastoral and Agro-pastoral setting.