Parasitological identification and histological examination of <i>Fasciola gigantica</i> sequel to occurrence of bovine Billiary fasciolosis in cattle slaughtered at Bodija abattoir, Ibadan

Abstract

Fasciola gigantica is the parasitic fluke causing tropical fasciolosis leading to great
economic losses in cattle production in Nigeria. One hundred and five (105) flukes were
collected and identified after careful examination of the bile ducts from twenty one (21)
infected slaughtered cattle out of a total of two hundred (200) cattle examined from
Bodija Municipal Abattoir. Semichon’s Acetic-Carmine staining technique and histological
examination was carried out for parasitic identification while simple faecal floatation and
sedimentation techniques was done for parasite egg examination. Postmortem
examination showed enlarged and friable liver covered with fibrin tags while bile ducts
were thickened, distended and packed with adult flukes when sliced open. Microscopic
and histological examination revealed greyish-brown leaf-shaped adult Fasciola gigantica
flukes, bearing a cone shaped projection and a pair of broad shoulders with the intestinal
ceca branched as well as the testes and the ovary. The vitelline follicles fill the lateral
fields of the worm and the common genital pore just anterior to the acetabulum. Large
Fasciola gigantica eggs which are oval, yellowish to greenish in colour and bears a polar
operculum. Public enlightenment especially among the butchers and abattoir workers
should be periodical on the public health importance of the parasite and how
unwholesome abattoir practices can lead to accidental human infection. This will greatly
reduce the practice of selling infected organ that have been deemed unfit for human
consumption.

Keywords: Fasciola gigantica, Cattle, Semichon’s Acetic-Carmine technique, Histology, Bile duct