Determining the degree of contamination of slaughtered sheep in Bavi-Khuzestan City with liver and lung parasites

This study was conducted to determine the level of parasitic contamination in the liver and lungs of slaughtered sheep at the slaughterhouse in Bavi City and to evaluate the viability of protoscoleces in the cysts. A total of 13,578 sheep were examined during the fall of 2022, specifically in the months of Mehr, Aban, and Azar. Inspections were carried out using direct and microscopic examination methods. After staining with eosin dye, fertile protoscoleces were distinguished from infertile ones by their reaction to the dye. The highest and lowest rates of parasitic infection in sheep at the Bavi City slaughterhouse were 22.68% in December and 22.63% in October, respectively. The highest and lowest percentages of fertile cysts were 70.12% in October and 70.01% in December, respectively. Overall, 22.66% of the sheep were found to be parasitically infected, and 70.06% of the cysts were fertile. Fasciola infection was observed in 0.8% of sheep livers and 0.6% of sheep lungs, with no statistically significant difference between liver and lung infections (p>0.05). Dicrocoelium parasite infection was found in 0.03% of sheep livers, and there was no Dicrocoelium infection in the lungs (p>0.05). Hydatid cyst contamination was 2.9% in sheep livers and 0.8% in sheep lungs (p<0.01). Cysticercus contamination was 0.1% in both the liver and lungs of sheep, with no statistically significant difference between the two (p>0.05). The construction of well-equipped and hygienic slaughterhouses, along with accurate and thorough inspection of carcasses, are effective measures for reducing the damage caused by parasitic contamination.