Prevalence of Hydatidosis in Cattle Slaughtered at Sebeta Municipal Abattoir, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2011 to March 2012 to assess the status of cystic hydatidosis in cattle slaughtered at Sebeta Municipal abattoir. Out of the total 395 cattle examined visually and manually (palpation and incision), 97 (24.5%) were found harboring hydatid cysts. Accordingly, prevalence of hydatidosis showed that there was significant difference between animals origins (p=0.01) where animals originated near to Addis Ababa had high prevalence as compared to Western region that includes Jimma, Beddele and Wellega around these area. Age group above 10 years, poor body condition showed significantly high prevalence (p<0.05) than other age groups, medium and good body condition scores. On the other hand, there was no difference between the sexes of the animals. Thus, hydatidosis was more prevalent in animals from surrounding Addis Ababa (29.2%) when compared to animals originated from Shewa (25.3%) and western region (13%); The hydatidosis was more prevalent in old animals (42.5%) than young animals (20%) and more prevalent in poor body condition (61.54%) than medium (27.17%) and good  body condition(6.45%). Out of the organs examined, the highest proportion of the fertile and viable cyst were observed in the heart 4 (40%) followed by lung 15 (17%), kidney 3(11.1%), and liver 2 (10.2%), whereas fertile and dead were observed in the kidney 4 (40%) and heart 4 (40%) followed by lung 20(23%) and liver 1 (5.2%), accordingly. Out of the organs examined, the highest proportion of the non-fertile or sterile cyst observed in the lung and kidney. Calcified hydatid cyst was higher in proportion in spleen followed by liver, kidney and lung. The current results suggest that a thorough investigation that leads to a disease control strategy is required to reduce the economic and public health consequences of the hydatidosis.

Keywords: Abattoir, Hydatidosis, Prevalence, Cattle, Ethiopia