Prevalence, Public Significance and Financial Loss of Hydatid Cyst on Cattle Slaughtered at Nekemte Municipal Abattoir, Western Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Nekemte Municipal Abattoir of western Ethiopia to determine the prevalence, Public Significance and financial loss of Bovine hydatidosis from December 2013 to April 2014. Hydatid cyst count, characterization and financial loss estimation were done on 531 cattle slaughtered in the abattoir. Out of 531 slaughtered cattle, 91 (17.1%) cattle were found to be harbored by the cysts. The prevalence of the disease significantly varies with the breed and origin of the animals (p 0.05). Through detail postmortem meat inspection in the abattoir, 106 visceral organs were found harboring one or more Hydatid cyst. The infestation of the lungs, liver, spleen, heart and kidneys were found to be 47.3%, 30.8%, 2.20%, 1.10 and 3.3% respectively. From the total of 295 Hydatid cysts counted, 174 (59.0%), 113 (38.3%) and 8 (2.71%) were found to be small, medium, large cysts respectively and (53.2%) (21.0%) and (25.8%) were sterile, fertile and calcified respectively. The rate of cyst calcification was higher in the liver than in the lung while fertility rate was higher among the cysts of the lung. The annual direct financial losses from organ and/carcass condemnation due to this disease at the abattoir were estimated to be 3,996,000 Ethiopian Birr (ETB). During study period eight Hydatidosis cases were reported from Nekemte Referral Hospital. Thus; Bovine hydatidosis is considerably a prevalent disease in cattle, with serious public health concern reflections and causes substantial financial losses in cattle in the study area.