AUCTORES
Globalize your Research
Research | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2690-8816/038
1 Veterinarian at Cairo Veterinary Directorate, Egypt.
2 Food Hygiene and Control Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University,
3 Food Hygiene Department, Animal Health Research Institute, ARC, Egypt.
*Corresponding Author: Omar, M. Abd Elaziz, Department of Veterinarian at Cairo Veterinary Directorate, Egypt.
Citation: Omar, M. Abd Elaziz, Fatin S. Hassanin, Fahim A. Shaltout, and Othman A.Mohamed. (2021). Prevalence of some zoonotic parasitic affections in sheep carcasses in a local abattoir in Cairo, Egypt Clinical Research Notes. 2(3); DOI: 10.31579/2690-8816/038
Copyright: © 2021 Omar, M. Abd Elaziz. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Received: 03 September 2021 | Accepted: 03 November 2021 | Published: 15 November 2021
Keywords: fascioliasis; cysticercosis; hydatidosis; sheep carcasses; parasitic infection; zoonotic parasites
Meat-borne zoonotic parasites raised from consumption of undercooked and/or crossly contaminated meats can infect human by direct and/or indirect ways causing many mild to serious diseases; so in the present study, some meat-borne transmissible parasites were investigated in 5239 freshly dressed sheep carcasses in local Egyptian abattoir located at Cairo governorate along the period of 2017-2018. Results of Post- Mortem inspection revealed the detection of Fasciola, Cysticercus and Hydatid cyst in 3.47, 1.06 and 1.83% of the total examined carcasses with total economic losses of 9306.78 L.E, 2892 L.E and 4380 LE, respectively. It is worthily noted that fascioliasis recorded the highest incidence of infection, followed by hydatidosis and cysticercosis in the examined carcasses, respectively. Cysticercus ovis and C. tenuicollis were detected in 32.14% and 67.85% with total economic losses of 714 L.E and 2178 L.E because of infected heart and liver condemnation during 2017 and 2018, respectively. Furthermore, hydatid cyst was detected in 0.47% and 1.35% of the examined lung and liver samples with total economic losses of 1188 L.E and 3192 L.E because of infected lung and liver condemnation during 2017 and 2018, respectively. Referring to the obtained results, it was obvious that parasitic infection of sheep meat and offal constrains a lot of economic losses, threatens the meat production industry and throws lights over the health importance of veterinary inspection great role in protecting human-being from be infested with zoonotic meat-borne parasites. So, magnification and great support should be given to training veterinary inspectors in slaughter houses in Egypt.
Parasitic infection of any food animals causes direct or indirect losses related to retardation of growth, body weight, immune-suppression with increased infectionsusceptibility leading to financial losses because of partial or total condemnation of carcasses after slaughtering [15].
Zoonotic parasitescan be classified into four categories, directzoonotic parasites which infect human directly from animals and include Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium parvum, Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spiralis. Meta-zoonotic parasites, which include Fasciola spp. and Schistosoma spp., can infect humans from invertebrate intermediate hosts. Cyclo-zoonotic parasites have vertebrate intermediate hosts and include Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia saginataand Taenia solium, finallysaprozoonotic parasites can infect human from soil or water and include Ancylostomacaninum and Strongyloides stercoralis [21].
Several recorded reports revealedthat zoonotic transmissible foodborne parasites have been emerged as significant causes of human illness and ranged from mild discomfort to debilitation and possibly death; from which, hydatidosis (humanechinococcosis) and cysticercosis (human taeniasis) are known to be one of the most important zoonotic parasitic diseases, also constitute one of the common problem of medical and veterinary public health importance [12]. In addition, fascioliasis is known globally to be an important parasitic disease of ruminants caused by hepatic fasciola fluke species, and it is one of the most neglected tropical zoonotic diseases [20].
Human infection occursmainly because of consumption of undercooked infectedand/or contaminated meats. Symptoms appear within 15 days after undercooked meat ingestionaccompanied by mild gastroenteritis, watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting; while may be more severe nervous and skeletal affections (Ortega and Cama, 2018).
In Egypt, detection of parasitic infection in freshly slaughtered sheep carcasses were recorded. El-Meleh (2019) recorded detection of hydatidosis, Fascioliasis and cysticercosis in 0.44%, 0.54% and 0.54% of the examined sheep carcasses in Menoufiya governorate during 2017 [4]. Moreover, Hassanin et al. (2013) detected hydatidosis in 7.57% of the examined sheep carcasses during the period of 2012-2013 in Qalubiya governorate, which were recorded in lung and liver with the incidence of 57.1% and 71.4%, respectively [12].
So, regular investigation of the incidence of parasitic infection in food animals, especially zoonotic one, is of significance; therefore, the present study aimed to detect fascioliasis, hydatidosis and cysticercosis in fresh sheep carcasses slaughtered in local abattoirin Cairo governorate during the period of 2017-2018.
Routine meat inspection of the slaughtered animal was carried out by a well- trained veterinarian meat inspector which assigned by the Egyptian Veterinary Organization. The routine PM of apparently healthy animals was carried out according to the method recommended by FSIS/USDA (2019) including head region, different lymph nodes, pluck, and different internal organs [8]. In details, head region was examined for the healthy status of lymph nodes, masseter muscles, and tongue without making exploratory incisions; pluck (esophagus, lung and heart) were examined apparently health status by naked eyes, palpation of lung tissue, and deep incisions in cardia muscle; liver was examined by visual inspection followed by palpation then finally by diagonal longitudinal incision or more through the bile ducts if necessary; finally, diaphragm examination has been performing after removal of the peritoneum, it is examined as additional inspection in case of Cyesticercus by making multiple thin cross sectionsin its muscles. Moreover, prefemoral, prescapular, renal and mediastinal lymphnodes were incised and explored for its normal texture and color.
5. Prevalence calculation
Prevalence calculation was conducted according to Thrusfield (2007) as follows [19]:
5.1 The prevalence of the parasitic diseases:
The prevalence of different parasites among examined animals was estimated by dividing the number of infected animals for each disease (animals with condemned organs or carcasses) by the total number of slaughtered animals then multiplies by 100.
5.3 Estimation of economic loss due to parasitic infection
It was calculated by weighing of condemned carcasses and organs by digital balance and multiplies it by current price in market according to (Table 1).
2017 price (LE) / Kg | 2018 price (LE) / Kg | |
| Sheep meat and heart | 85 | 110 |
| Offal (Liver, lung, tongue, rumen, pancreas, spleen, intestine) |
60 |
90 |
N.B. the price of meat and offal/kg according to the Egyptian General Authority for Veterinary Services
Table 1: Price of meat and offal/kg during the investigation period.
Economic losses = weight of condemned organ × current price per Egyptian pound.
Referring to the obtained results in (Table 2), out of 2729 and 2510 examined sheep carcasses, 5.86 % and 4.74% of the examined carcasses were recorded to have different parasitic infections in 2017 and 2018, respectively to reveal that 2017 reports recorded higher prevalence of parasitic infections than 2018 recorded cases.
| Number of the examined carcasses | Positive affected carcasses | |
Year |
|
| |
| No. | % | |
2017 | 2729 | 160 | 5.86 |
2018 | 2510 | 119 | 4.74 |
Total | 5239 | 279 | 5.32 |
Table2: Prevalence of parasitic infection in the examined sheep carcasses
Referring to the incidence of Fasciola infection in the examined sheep carcasses as recorded in (Table 3) and (Figure 1), 2017 recorded higher infection rates than 2018with incidences of 4.6% and 2.2 % of the examined sheep carcasses, respectively.
Year | Positive affected carcasses | ||
No1 | No2. | % | |
2017 | 2729 | 126 | 4.6 |
2018 | 2510 | 56 | 2.2 |
Total | 5239 | 182 | 3.47 |
No1: Number of the examined carcasses
No2: Number of the positive fasciola affected carcasses.
%: prevalence of fasciola.
Table 3: Prevalence of Fascioliasis in the examined sheep carcasses
Annual financial assessment of condemned liver due to Fascioliasis in the examined carcasses was recorded in (Table 4), 5778.78 and 3528 L.E. were the values of economic loss because of affected liver condemnation during 2017 and 2018, respectively, with total losses of 9306.78 Egyptian pounds.
Year | Positive affected carcasses | Condemned Liver (Kg) | Value in EGP (LE) |
2017 | 126 | 96.313 | 5778.78 |
2018 | 56 | 39.200 | 3528 |
Total | 182 | 235.513 | 9306.78 |
N.B. the price of meat and offal/kg according to the Egyptian General Authority for Veterinary Services
Table 4: The annual financial assessment of condemned liver due to Fascioliasis in the examined sheep carcasses
Moreover, cysticercosis, as recorded in (Table 5) and (Figure 2 and 3), was detected in 0.8% and 1.35% of the examined carcasses during 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Year | No. of examined carcasses | Positive affected carcasses | % |
2017 | 2729 | 22 | 0.80 |
2018 | 2510 | 34 | 1.35 |
Total | 5239 | 56 | 1.06 |
Table 5: Prevalence of Cysticercosis in the examined sheep carcasses
Parasitic affections constitute a large group of infectious diseases with varying host ranges and patterns of transmission. Their distribution, prevalence and transmission patterns are affected by the influence of both human and environmental factors. The economic and public health impact of such zoonosis warrants appropriate surveillance to obtain enough information that will provide inputs in the design and implementation of control strategies. A need therefore arises to regularly re-evaluate the current status of zoonotic diseases, particularly in view of new data available as a result of surveillance activities and the application of new technologies [14].
In the current study, a total number of 5239 sheep carcasses were examined during the period of 2017 and 2018 for the presence of parasitic infection in local abattoirin Cairo governorate. The overall prevalence of infested slaughtered animals in this study was 5.32% (Table 2). This record was higher than other studies record in Egypt as recorded by El-Meleh (2019)(1.51%) [4]. Among the detected parasitic infection during this study, Fascioliasis was the most prevalent followed by Hydatidosis, while the lowest was for Cysticercosis. This differs from the recorded prevalence in other studies in Egypt may be referred to differences in the period, locality and the rearing environment of the examined animals [18].
Fascioliasis is a parasitic affection threatening domestic ruminants and public health [2]. The results given in (Table 3) disagreed with those obtained by El-Shazly et al. (2005) (20.56%), Elmonir et al. (2017) (0.41%), and El- Meleh (2019) who recorded lower incidence during 2017 and 2018 to be 0.54% and 0.22% of the examined sheep carcasses, respectively [4-6]. While, Jean-Richard et al. (2014) recorded detection of Fasciola in 23% of the examined sheep carcasses in South- Eastern Lake, Chad, and Amer et al. (2016) (14.7%) [3,13,]. This may be explained by difference in the total number of slaughtered animals in each study.
Annual financial assessment of condemned liver due to Fasciolosis in the examined carcasses was recorded in (Table 4). Total losses were summed to be 9306.78 LE along the investigation period; where 2017 recorded higher losses (5778.78 L.E.) than 2018 (3528 L.E.).
The obtained resultsin (Tables 5 and 6) revealed that the incidence of cysticercosis in the examined carcasses was more prevalent in 2018 (1.35%) than 2017 (0.8%),where C. tenuicollis (67.85%) was more prevalent than C. ovis (32.14%) in the examined liver and heart samples, respectively. In addition, annual financial assessment of condemned affected heart and liver samples was evaluated as 714 and 2178 L.E., respectively; where 2018 recorded higher losses than 2017 (Table 7).
This result differed from those recorded by Oryan et al. (2012) who mentioned that only one C. ovis cyst was detected in the examined sheep carcasses [17]. Gessese et al. (2015) recorded lower incidence of C. ovis detection in sheep carcasses (8.43%), Hashemnia et al., (2016) (1.27%),and El-Meleh (2019)(0.54 and 0.05% during 2017 and 2018, respectively) [4,9,11].
The results of the incidence of hydatidosis in the examined carcasses (Table 8) revealed that the total hydatidosis was more observed in liver (1.35%)than the examined lung samples (0.47%). Results differed with those recorded by Haridy et al. (2006) (0.3%), Ernest et al. (2009) (63.8%), and Abdulhameed et al. (2018) who recorded that more than half of the examined sheep'sliver and lung offal (54.3%)harbored cystic echinococcosis, while agreed with Hassanin et al. (2013) who recorded higher incidence in the examined sheep carcass samples than the other examined species [1,7,10,12].
In addition, annual financial assessment of condemned affected lung and liver samples was evaluated as 978 L.E and 3402 L.E. in 2017 and 2018, respectively; where 2018 recorded higher losses than 2017 (Table 9).
Variation between the current data and the previous recorded results can be attributed to variation in season of collection, age of the animal, rearing environment, and typeof feeding.
Conclusively, the detected parasitic affections and demonstrated economic losses throw lights over the importance of strict well qualified meat inspection in slaughter houses to avoid the serious zoonotic meat-borne parasites to the consumers. Additionally, it recommended authorities of the scope to prepare qualified veterinary inspectors to safeguard the public health of the human-being. Furthermore, affected parts must be condemned in strictly isolated closed area with strict hygienic withdrawal procedures of the condemned parts.
Clearly Auctoresonline and particularly Psychology and Mental Health Care Journal is dedicated to improving health care services for individuals and populations. The editorial boards' ability to efficiently recognize and share the global importance of health literacy with a variety of stakeholders. Auctoresonline publishing platform can be used to facilitate of optimal client-based services and should be added to health care professionals' repertoire of evidence-based health care resources.
