Risk of contamination of cattle with echinococcosis at the Man slaughterhouse (Côte d'Ivoire)

Echinococcosis is a disease caused by helminths that affects cattle, sometimes leading to weight loss and a reduction in production. The objective of this research was to determine the prevalence of Echinococcosis and the associated risk factors in cattle slaughtered at the Man slaughterhouse. The study was carried out on 586 cattle consisting of females (424) and males (162). These animals were examined by post-mortem examination to demonstrate the presence of Echinococcosis by visual examination, incision and palpation of the organs according to the routine method used by veterinarians. The results showed a low prevalence of Echinococcosis in cattle (1.20%). The prevalence of this parasitosis was higher in males (3.1%) than in females (0.47%). In this study, the sex of the animal was a risk factor (p=0.009). As for age, no significant difference was observed (p > 0.05) even if cattle aged 2 to 4 seem to be the most contaminated (1.7%), followed by those aged 4 (1.1%) and less than 2 years (0%). Despite this low prevalence, it would be necessary to search for the main sources of contamination of cattle for better control of Echinococcosis in the region. We recommend that veterinary authorities prohibit the dumping of contaminated organs from this slaughterhouse into the Ko River to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases. published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES