Prevalence and Risk Factors of Fasciola eggs in Cattle in the White Nile State, the Sudan

Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted from July to September 2015 in El-Dueim slaughterhouse, the White Nile state, the Sudan, to estimate the prevalence of Fasciola species and their eggs in the livers and feces of cattle and to investigate potential risk factors associated with them. The liver inspection during post-mortem examination and sedimentation technique were used. The overall prevalence's of Fasciola species and their eggs were 43.4% (n= 92; 95% CI from 36.73 to 50.07) and 72.6% (n= 92; 95% CI from 66.6 to 78.6), while prevalence by risk factor category, ranged from 23.6% to 78.0% and from 60.0% to 90.0% respectively. Body condition (x2=45.0, pvalue= 0.001), grazing (x2=5.49, p-value=0.019), and presence of snail (x2=36.3, p-value=0.001) were associated with detection of Fasciola in the livers of slaughtered cattle in the univariate analysis. The same risk factors, excluding grazing, were also associated with the detection of the eggs of Fasciola in the feces. Cattle with poor body condition and in presence of snails were at higher risk of finding the worm and eggs in their livers and feces in comparison to the reference category of the same risk factor in the multivariate analysis. It can be concluded that the liver flukes and their eggs are prevalent in the White Nile state. Therefore, the use of and the limnetic by cattle farmers from is recommended as a prophylactic measure.