A study on prevalence of some helminthic infections of the liver and lungs among ruminants in abattoir of Fars province, Iran

Zoonotic helminths are often transmitted to humans through domestic animals. This retrospective study was performed to estimate the prevalence of some important zoonotic helminthic infections of the liver and lung including echinococcosis, fasciolosis and dicrocoeliasis in Kazerun and Shiraz abattoirs, Fars, Iran, during 2011-2013. A total of 12381 sheep, 6473 cattle, 22847 goats, 66 camels, and 10 buffalos were analyzed with regard to liver and lung helminthic infections including hydatidosis, fasciolosis, and dicrocoeliasis in Kazerun, during March 2011-January 2013. Moreover, 121100 sheep, 23515 cattle, 81293 goats, and 69 camels were investigated for the mentioned infections in Shiraz abattoir during one year since March 2012. Kazerun abattoir: The prevalence rates of liver hydatid cysts were 0.86%, 2.1%, 0.76%, and 15.1%  in sheep, cattle, goats, and camels, respectively, whereas the prevalence rates of pulmonary hydatid cysts were 0.89%, 2.36%, 0.9%, and 16.6% in the mentioned animals, respectively. Fasciolosis was detected in 0.33%, 1.65%, and 0.24% of condemnation livers of sheep, cattle, and goats, respectively. However, dicrocoeliasis was just prevalent in 0.004% of goat livers. Shiraz abattoir: the prevalence rates of liver hydatid cysts were 3.44%, 3.12%, 2.94%, and 2.9% in slaughtered sheep, cattle, goats, and camels, respectively. In addition, 4.54%, 4.33%, 4%, and 4.35% of the lung of the mentioned animals were infected with hydatid cysts, respectively. Prevalence rates of Fasciola spp in slaughtered sheep and cattle were 2.49% and 1.86%, respectively, and rate of D. dendriticum infection in slaughtered sheep, cattle, and goats were 0.026%, 0.91%, and 4%, respectively. As compared with reports from other studies, it seems that Fars is among the low-endemic regions regarding this type of infection.