Prevalence of fasciolosis (Liver flukes) infection in cattle in Zamfara, Nigeria: A slaughterhouse surveillance data utilizing postmortem examination.

Abstract

Bovine fasciolosis, caused by Fasciola gigantica (F. gigantica) and rarely F. hepatica, is an economically important disease affecting cattle in tropical Africa. The aims of this study were to determine a year prevalence of bovine fasciolosis and correlate determinants of infection in slaughtered cattle at the municipal abattoir in Zamfara, Nigeria. Fasciola gigantica was detected in 15% (1740/11,562) cattle slaughtered during a daily postmortem examination (PME) between November 2016 and October 2017. This approach demonstrated an increase risk of liver fluke infection in older cattle (p = 0.001, AOR = 1.476, 95% CI: 1.188-1.832) and during rainfall (p = 0.003, AOR = 1.604, 95% CI: 1.176-2.187). Liver condemnation had been significantly found in hot-dry season (p ≤0.001, AOR = 0.518, 95% CI: 0.417-0.643) and adult cattle (p = 0.003, AOR = 1.726, 95% CI: 0.586-0.899). This study is an account of bovine fasciolosis prevalence and infection dynamics in part of the northwest region of Nigeria, which provides preliminary information for further studies to guide the design of appropriate control steps to lower the impact of the disease and safeguard public health.