Prevalence, Economic Impact and Public Perception of Hydatid Cyst and Cysticercus bovis on Cattle Slaughtered at Adama Municipal Abattoir, South Eastern Ethiopia

A cross sectional and retrospective studies were conducted from January up to May 2013 to determine the prevalence, estimate direct financial loss and public perception of Cysticercosis and Hydatidosis at Adama Municipal Abattoir, Central Oromia regional state of Ethiopia. Out of 422 cattle examined at the abattoir, the overall prevalence of C. bovis and Hydatidosis were (19.7%) and (27.5%) respectively. The prevalence of both diseases vary significantly varies with the breed, origin and body condition of the animals (p<0.05). Anatomical distribution of Metacestode showed the highest proportion of C. bovis cysts were observed on tongue (37.4%), followed by heart (28.7%) whereas, the highest proportion of calcified Hydatid cyst was recorded on lung (59.7%) followed by liver (15.9%). There were also co-infection of hydatidosis with cysticercosis on organs like heart and kidney. Of the 192 cysts of C. bovis selected for viability tests, the higher proportion of viable cyst (49.3%) were observed on heart. Accordingly, of the total 1670 examined Hydatid cysts, 610 cysts were found to be fertile and further laboratory results of viability showed (9.16%) and (27.4%) motile and non-motile cysts respectively. The rest of 1060 cysts were unfertile of which sterile accounts (16.5%) and that of calcified were found to be (47.0%). From the 1198 Hydatid cysts tested for cyst size, 59.8% were small, 36.0% medium and 5.8 % were found to be large in size. Direct annual financial losses due to organ condemnation were estimated to be 34,927,200 ETB. Questionnaire survey also indicated 18% of respondents had contracted Taeniasis and this significantly varies with risk factors like sex, age, resident area and educational status of the people. On top of these, retrospective study for the year 2011 and 2012 revealed similar trend of the diseases in which from the total 27, 180 cattle were slaughtered, the prevalence of C. bovis and Hydatid cyst was (10.9 % and 46.3%) and (63.3 % and 38.1%) for the consecutive years respectively. The study revealed that continuous existence of Metacestode in the study area having huge public health and economic significance. Hence, implicating the need to alarm different stakeholders to look and improve methods to prevent and control the diseases.