<i>Fascioliasis</i> in Cattle: A Survey Of Abattoirs in Egor, Ikpoba- Okha and Oredo Local Government Areas of Edo State, Using Histochemical Techniques

Abstract

As meat consumption is on the increase worldwide, there are growing concerns about meat hygiene and safety since worldwide distribution of Fasciolasis is estimated at 90% in ruminants. The fact that animals susceptible to Fasciola infection are usually reservoir hosts for Fasciola species is also a cause for concern. This study therefore, is aimed at determining the prevalence of Fascioliasis in abattoirs located within some selected Local Government Areas of Benin City, Nigeria. A total of 180 cattle found within the confines of 3 abattoirs in the respective LGAs were examined. Consequently, 9 abattoirs were investigated for Liver flukes (Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica), bringing the overall number of cattle examined to 540. The screening exercise was carried out between the 15th day of August and 2nd of December, 2012, using standard histochemical techniques. The results showed that of the 540 cattle examined, 11.5% were infected. The distribution shows that cattle slaughtered at Ikpoba Okha LGA abattoirs had the highest infection rate of 5.74%, followed by abattoirs from Egor (3.33%) and Oredo (2.44%), suggesting that there exist differences in the hygienic status of abattoirs, as well as the mode of feeding and water consumption.

Keywords: Abattoir, Fascioliasis, Egor, Ikpoba Okha and Oredo Local Government Areas.