Prevalence of Cysticercus tenuicollis in slaughtered sheep and goats by season, sex, age, and infected organ at Amol abattoir, Mazandaran province, Iran

摘要

Sheep and goats are the major sources of meat in Iran. The carcasses of 1,200 sheep and also 1,200 goats with their internal organs including the liver, diaphragm, and omentum from Amol abattoir were randomly inspected to estimate the prevalence rate of Cysticercus tenuicollis and asses its relationship with season, sex, age, and infected organs in slaughtered animals. A total of 2,400 animals (goats and sheep) was examined and 4.21 % was positive for C. tenuicollis. About 4.33 and 4.08 % of goats and sheep, respectively, were infected according to this survey; the difference of the prevalence of the parasite in these two species was not significant (P>0.05). In both species (goat and sheep), the prevalence rate of cysts in female animals was higher than that in males; this outcome was highly significant (P<0.001). The infected organ of most animals was the liver while the intensity of cysticerci in other organs was very low. According to this study, it can be concluded that the prevalence rate of this parasite is low in the north of Iran and the minimum preventive measures will help control this infection and decrease the economic loss which is the result of condemnation of infected carcasses or viscera.