Small Ruminant Fasciolosis and its Direct Financial Loss in Dessie Municipal Abattoir North Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to April 2017 on 384 small ruminants brought for slaughter to Dessie Municipal Abattoir from Dessie and its surroundings. Coprological and postmortem examinations were employed. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of fasciolosis and associated risk factors, the test agreement between fecal examination by sedimentation and post mortem examination; and the direct financial loss due to liver condemnation. Of 384 fecal samples collected during ante mortem, 54 were positive for egg of Fasciola with an overall prevalence of 14.1% (54/384) based on coprological examination. The prevalence was 14.5% (50/294) in sheep and 10% (4/40) in goats. An overall prevalence of 18.8% (72/384) was found based on liver examination. There was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in infection rate between the two species and sex. The difference in infection rate in body condition, age and fecal consistency was statistically significant (P=0.000, 0.034 and 0.031 respectively). The dominant species of Fasciola was F. hepatica 9.9%, followed by 3.39, 3.13 and 2.34% by immature Fasciola, F. gigantica and mixed infection respectively. The mean fluke burden was 28.28 ranging between 3 and 96 flukes per infected liver and the fluke burden was highest in animals with mixed infection followed by animals infected by F. hepatica. The sensitivity of the sedimentation technique to detect Fasciola eggs was 75% compared to postmortem examination of liver and a considerable agreement (kappa=0.830) was obtained between the tests. An annual loss of 25230 Birr loss was estimated in Dessie Municipal Abattoir. Study on public health implication of the parasites is recommended.