Parasitological and Pathological studies on Tissue parasites among slaughtered animals in Dakahlia province, Egypt

The present study was carried on 939 carcasses of slaughtered animals at Mansoura abattoir (387 cattle, 205 buffaloes and 347 sheep), of various ages, sex and breeds in order to investigate the incidence of grossly visible tissue parasites. Macroscopic Sarcocystis spp. cysts were recorded in 26.82% of examined buffalo carcasses. Hydatid cysts were recovered at overall incidence rate of 2.02%, where buffaloes showed higher infection (2.43%) than cattle (1.80%). Cysticercus bovis cysts were only recovered from heart of two cattle (0.51%), while no infection was detected in buffalo carcasses. Cysticercus tenuicollis cysts were found in cattle (0.25%). In sheep,Cysticercus tenuicollis cysts were recorded at high rate of 21.03% and Cysticercus ovis cysts were detected in 5.47% of examined sheep carcasses. The seasonal dynamics and anatomical distribution of the detected parasites were studied. Moreover, these parasites caused variable range of tissue lesions, from non-significant pathology as in macroscopic sarcocystosis to those caused extensive damage resulting in infiltrative, degenerative changes, necrosis and granuloma formation.