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. 2025 Jan 24;21(1):34.
doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04489-2.

Risk factors and economic losses associated with cystic echinococcosis among livestock in selected pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of Uganda

Leonard Omadang  1   2 , Othieno Emmanuel  3 , Kokas Ikwap  4 , Erume Joseph  4 , Francis Ejobi  5 , Michael Ocaido  4
Affiliations

Risk factors and economic losses associated with cystic echinococcosis among livestock in selected pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of Uganda

Leonard Omadang et al. BMC Vet Res. .

Abstract

Background: Cystic echinococcosis is a parasitic cyclo-zoonotic disease caused by the taeniid Echinococcus and causes significant economic losses in livestock production, yet its impact is often overlooked and under estimated.

Methods: This study investigated the risk factors and economic impact of cystic echinococcosis in livestock, in Uganda's pastoral and agro-pastoral communities. In the study, 14,937 livestock were examined at selected slaughterhouses in Moroto, Kumi, Luwero and Nakasongola districts from March 2019 to February 2020. The visceral organs were examined for hydatid cysts during slaughter and the prevalence correlated with the risk factors got from livestock traders and livestock owners through questionnaire survey. Production losses and economic losses due to organ condemnations were also estimated.

Results: This is the first study to provide insights into the financial impacts and risk factors towards Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) in livestock in Uganda. The key significant risk factors for the persistence of CE in goats were place of origin from Lira (P ≤ 0.000), Nakasongola (P ≤ 0.002), Luwero and Bukedea (P ≤ 0.002), and tethering (P ≤ 0.001); in cattle was communal grazing (P ≤ 0.0000); and in sheep was being kept in large flocks (P ≤ 0.004). The total annual economic losses due to CE on livestock inspected in abattoirs in the study districts was USD 21,352.7 (1 USD = 3,809.3 UGX) of which 11.7% was due to organ condemnation and 88.3% due to livestock production losses. More significant mean annual economic losses per livestock species examined occurred in Moroto district among Zebu cattle USD 8.4, goats USD 1.4 and sheep USD 1.4 than other districts.

Conclusion: Results show that CE is a disease of significant economic and public health importance in PAP areas in Uganda with urgent need to create awareness and institute community-based control measures involving multistakeholder particiapation.to break livestock-dog cycle.

Keywords: Agro-pastoral areas Uganda; Cystic echinococcus; Economic losses; Livestock; Pastoral; Risk factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: Approval for the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources (SVAR) research ethics committee (REC)-SVAR IACUC/ IRB-Ref SVAR_IACUC/40/2020, Makerere University and from Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (UNCST)-Ref A87ES. Approval for the study in each district was obtained from the respective District Veterinary Offices and written consent from livestock owners and butchers was obtained before enrolment into the study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Financial support: This research was funded by the Higher Education, Science and Technology (HEST) project, Busitema University, Uganda.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map of Uganda showing study areas
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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