Prevalence of Parasitic and Bacterial Contamination in Animal Carcasses in Tehran Slaughterhouses and Its Effect on Economic Losses from 2019 to 2023

The initial step in the prevention and control of any disease is the epidemiological investigation and evaluation of its health and economic importance .This is considered a reliable starting point for combating the disease. In this regard, the present study investigated the prevalence of parasitic and bacterial diseases in nine cities of Tehran province during the years 2019-2023 and the damages caused by them. This study employed a cross-sectional  design ,and the required data were obtained from the Iran’s  Veterinary Organization and the Agricultural Organization of Tehran province. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to ascertain the variance of the data. Subsequent mean comparisons were made using the post hoc Tukey test, while paired percentages were compared using the x2 non-parametric test. The findings revealed that hydatid cyst had  the highest prevalence in Tehran Province in comparison  to other diseases among slaughtered animals. The prevalence  of infection with the majority of  diseases in cattle was significantly higher than that  in sheep (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the trend of disease contamination over the course of the study period  (P>0.05). However, a significant difference was noted between the cities in terms of the prevalence of contamination with bacterial and parasitic pathogens (P<0.05). The assessment of economic losses resulting from diseases also indicated that in 1398-1402, the main cause of damage was brucellosis among cattle and cyst hidatosis among sheep. The findings of this study provide fundamental data regarding economic losses associated with bacterial and parasitic diseases of cattle and sheep slaughtered in Tehran Province, offering a valuable reference  for relevant organizations and officials.