Hydatidosis as a major cause of liver condemnation among parasitic diseases in goats and sheep in Keren slaughterhouse, Anseba zone, Eritrea

Abstract

Aim: To find out the prevalence of hydatidosis and the number of livers condemned due to this disease using retrospective data from municipal slaughterhouse in Keren, Eritrea. Materials and Methods: Aretrospective data of ten years (1999 to 2008) on slaughtered goats and sheep was collected from Keren Municipal slaughterhouse, Anseba Zone of Eritrea. The data was analyzed for the prevalence of hydatidosis and the number of livers condemned. Besides, condemned livers from sheep and goats due to the presence of hydatid cysts were collected (September to December, 2008, and from March to July, 2009) for gross examination and microscopic pathology. Result: Our findings indicated that among the parasitic diseases encountered in the slaughtered animals, hydatid cysts were the most prevalent ones. Conclusion: This study has depicted that the major contributor for liver condemnation was hydatidosis. Moreover, the study has shown that the trend of the prevalence of hydatidosis is increasing and this warrants immediate intervention for its control. © The authors.