Occurrence of Linguatula serrata nymphs in cattle slaughtered in Tabriz, Iran.

The Linguatula serrata is a tongue-shaped parasite that infects carnivores or insectivorous reptile as final and herbivores as intermediate host. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of nymphal stages of L. serrata in mesenteric nodes (MLN) and mediastinal lymph nodes of cattle slaughtered in Tabriz slaughterhouse, North West of Iran. Mesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes of 640 cattle of different sex and age were inspected. A digestion method was applied for investigation of samples revealing an infection prevalence of 18.9 %. The MLNs in 97 cattle out of 640 (15.1 %) and the mediastinal lymph nodes in 47 cattle out of 640 (7.3 %) were infected by L. serrata nymphs. The results showed infection rate of mesenteric lymph nodes higher than mediastinal mesenteric lymph nodes (P < 0.05). The infection rate increased with age (P < 0.05). Although a significant difference seen in the infection rate between male and female but it was not significant at the same age groups of male and female (P > 0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference in the infection rate of different seasons (P < 0.05). Linguatulosis occurs as an endemic zoonosis in the northwest of Iran and has an active transmission life cycle.