Prevalence and Histopathological Effects of Fascioliasis in Cattle Slaughtered in Ikot Eneobong Abattoir, Calabar, Nigeria

Aims: Studies were carried out to determine the prevalence, intensity, economic loss and histopathological effects of fascioliasis in cattle slaughtered in Ikot Eneobong abattoir, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

Study Design: The study involved Post-Mortem examination of 384 liver samples from slaughtered cattle.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, between April – July, 2015.

Methodology: A total of384 liver samples were examined for individuals of Fasciola gigantica by making length-wise incision on the ventral side of the liver. Recovered flukes were counted and grouped into different levels of intensity. Infected livers recovered were subjected to histopathological analysis using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining technique. The economic loss due to the infection was determined based on the current market price per kg weight of cattle liver.

Results: Out of the 384 livers examined, 64 (16.67%) were found positive for fascioliasis. The month of July had the highest prevalence of infected livers (25.64%) while the month of April which had the lowest prevalence of infected livers (11.02%) (P=.05). Out of the 64 diseased livers, 58 (90.6%) had light worm load, 5 (7.8%) had moderate worm load and 1 (1.6%) had heavy worm load with numbers significantly higher in July compared with April, May and June (P=.05). In the four months study period, 320kg of livers from 64 cattle valued at ₦256,000 were lost due to infection. Histological examination of infected livers revealed necrosis, fibrosis, degenerated hepatocytes, proliferation of the bile ductules and marked infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells.

Conclusion: This study has established the prevalence, economic loss and histopathological consequences of fascioliasis in Ikot Eneobong abattoir. As such it is important that the routine examination of slaughtered ruminants be conducted prior to their presentation for public consumption.