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Cysticercosis of Slaughter Cattle in Southeastern Nigeria
Author(s) -
OPARA MAXWELL N.,
UKPONG UKEME MICHAEL,
OKOLI IFEANYI CHARLES,
ANOSIKE JUDE CHUKS
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1373.048
Subject(s) - cysticercosis , veterinary medicine , taenia , epizootiology , taeniasis , incidence (geometry) , livestock , biology , dry season , zoology , helminths , cestode infections , medicine , ecology , physics , optics
The incidence of cysticercosis due to Taenia saginata in both local and exotic breeds of cattle slaughtered for meat in southeastern Nigeria between November 1999 and April 2002 is reported. The examination of various organs of 25,800 cattle in 10 major abattoirs of this region showed that 6750 (26.2%) were infected with Cysticercus (C.) bovis . The prevalence rates varied from one abattoir to another while the rates of cysticercosis in local and exotic breeds varied significantly ( P > 0.05). Sixty percent of all the infected animals had cysts. The tongue, cardiac, and masseter muscles were the main predilection sites of the cysts. Out of 11,720 male cattle, examined, 3215 (27.4%) had cysts of C. bovis while 160 (13.6%) of the 1180 female animals investigated were infected. There was an inverse relationship between the ages of the animals and prevalence of infection with C. bovis ( r =−0.8743, P < 0.05). Monthly occurrence of the cysts in the animals revealed an upsurge of infected animals during the dry season. The epidemiology and epizootiology of Taenia saginata and C. bovis in relation to the veterinary service agencies and public health planners in southeastern Nigeria are highlighted.