Prevalence of Bovine Fascioliasis in ruminants slaughtered at Nakifuma and Katosi slaughter slabs at Mukono District and the associated economic losses

Abstract

Fascioliasis is a parasitic worm infection caused by common liver fluke Fasciola hepatica as well as Fasciola gigantica which is acquired through eating contaminated watercress or other water plants. This infection is so common in animals, particularly sheep and cattle and its widely spread throughout the world. However, it is also common in in children especially those living in poor and rural settings. At least, 2.4 million people are infested in more than 70 countries worldwide, with several million at risk especially where sheep or cattle are reared. The prevalence of fascioliasis has been documented in other regions worldwide and nationally but there is limited information at community level in Uganda. This study aimed at investigating the prevalence of and economic losses due to fascioliasis in Nakifuma and Katosi town councils. A total of 206 slaughtered carcasses were included in Nakifuma that is to say and Katosi town councils for prevalence of and economic losses due to fascioliasis were estimated during this study. The prevalence of bovine fascioliasis in Nakifuma and Katosi was 42.13% and 46.12% respectively. This study further revealed that a sum of 3,235,000UGX was the estimated financial loss during this study arising from liver condemnation and trimmings during routine meat carcass inspection. In this study it is recommended that farmers be sensitized on the prevalence of, and economic losses due to bovine fascioliasis. In addition to this, a study to assess the public health impact of fascioliasis should be carried out by scientists.