Bovine fasciolosis: prevalence, relationship between faecal egg count and worm burden and its economic impact due to liver condemnation at Rudsar abattoir, Northern Iran.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of Fasciola hepatica, the economic losses from liver condemnation and the relationship between burden of F. hepatica in liver and EPG of F. hepatica in Rudsar city (north of Iran). Between May 2011 and May 2012, a total of 680 slaughtered cattle were examined for the presence of F. hepatica in the liver. Data collected were analyzed by the sex, age, season and breed of the animals. In this study 137 cattle (20.14 %) were found to be positive for F. hepatica. The mean fluke burden in the affected livers was 14 ± 2 flukes per liver. There were no seasonal and age-related differences (P > 0.05) in prevalence of F. hepatica, but there was a statistically significant association (P < 0.05) between the prevalence with breed and sex and a high prevalence of F. hepatica was observed in indigenous and female cattle. The financial loss due to liver condemnation almost was estimated to be 2,750 USD. To study the relationship between burden of F. hepatica in liver and EPG of F. hepatica, faeces collected from rectum of cattles in slaughterhouse were examined by McMaster egg- counting technique. The abundance (worm burden) of F. hepatica in contaminated liver was classified in three group, group A, <10 worms/liver, in group B, 10-30 worms/liver and in group C, >30 worms/liver. In this groups (A-C) EPG of F. hepatica was 156, 240 and 620 respectively. There was a strong relationship between EPG and burden of worm in the liver.