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. 2016 Dec;9(12):1461-1465.
doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2016.1461-1465. Epub 2016 Dec 21.

Survey on Sarcocystis in bovine carcasses slaughtered at the municipal abattoir of El-Kharga, Egypt

Ali Meawad Ahmed  1 , Nagwa Thabet Elshraway  2 , Ahmed Ibrahim Youssef  3
Affiliations

Survey on Sarcocystis in bovine carcasses slaughtered at the municipal abattoir of El-Kharga, Egypt

Ali Meawad Ahmed et al. Vet World. 2016 Dec.

Abstract

Aim: The main objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of Sarcocystis sp. infection in cattle and buffalo carcasses slaughtered at El-Kharga abattoir, New Valley Governorate, Egypt.

Materials and methods: The slaughtered animals were daily inspected for Sarcocystis macrocysts through a year (2015). Macroscopic Sarcocystis was detected from a total of 2120 cattle and buffalo carcasses. In addition, 100 meat samples were collected from female cattle and buffalo (50 each) and were examined microscopically for sarcocystosis.

Results: The overall incidence of Sarcocystis macrocyst among bovine carcasses was 159/2120 (7.5%). Total incidence in cattle was 149/2000 (7.45%), whereas it was 10/120 (8.33%) in buffalo carcasses. Concerning gender, the overall prevalence of Sarcocystis infection was 127/1790 (7.09%) in male and 32/330 (9.69%) in females bovine carcasses. The highest detection rate of Sarcocystis lesions was from the esophagus (76.3%) followed by throat muscles (35.3%), tongue (33.8%), and diaphragm muscles (18.71%). Macrocysts from cattle were identified to Sarcocystis hirsuta, whereas Sarcocystis fusiformis was identified from buffalo carcasses. By microscopic examination, 18 (36%) of 50 female cattle carcasses harbor Sarcocystis sp., whereas 11 (22%) of buffalo carcasses were harbored Sarcocystis microcysts.

Conclusion: A high incidence of Sarcocystis infection was detected among slaughtered bovines in El-Kharga abattoir, Egypt. Sarcocystis macrocysts were a higher incidence in female elder animals macrocysts were identified to S. hirsuta in cattle and S. fusiformis in buffaloes. Sarcocystosis constitute a major cause of economic losses at El-Kharga abattoir. Beef meat may carry health risks to consumers.

Keywords: Sarcocystis; Sarcocystis fusiformis; Sarcocystis hirsuta; bovine; meat.

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Figures

Figure-1
Figure-1
Monthly incidence of sarcocystis infection in male and female slaughtered cattle and buffaloes in El-Kharga abattoir.
Figure-2
Figure-2
Macroscopic Sarcocyts detected from bovine carcasses. (a) Large sized sarcocystis observed in esophagus female buffaloes at El-kharga abattoir. (b) Large sized Sarcocysts (0.5 cm) observed in Oesophagus (1.5 cm) at El-kharga abattoir. (c) Large sized Sarcocysts (0.5 cm) observed in female tongue buffaloes at El-kharga abattoir.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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