Prevalence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum in slaughtered livestock in the Sarab Slaughterhouse, East Azarbaijan Province, northwestern Iran

Dicrocoelium is a type of trematode, that is commonly found in ruminants such as cattle and sheep. The most well-known species in this genus is Dicrocoelium dendriticum, commonly known as the lancet fluke or small liver fluke. The life cycle of D. dendriticum involves two intermediate hosts: landsnails and ants. Definite hosts are infected following ingestion of the infected ants, Humans can be accidental definitive hosts of D. dendriticum. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of D. dendriticum infection in the liver of slaughtered Cattles/Buffaloes and sheep/goat of Sarab slaughterhouse during April ۲۰۲۱ until April ۲۰۲۲. Overall, ۱۱۹۶۳ slaughtered livestocks were inspected, of these numbers, ۶۶۹۴ were sheeps and goats and ۵۲۶۹ were Cattles and Buffaloes. According to our results, the prevalence of dicrocoeliosis in Cattle and Buffaloes was ۳.۴۹%, and in Sheep and goats ۱۰.۵۳%. The results of this study indicated that the prevalence of the aforementioned parasite was rather high, which caused high economic losses. Therefore, sanitary and preventive measures should be taken.

کلیدواژه ها:

Dicrocoelium dendriticum ، Slaughterhouse ، Sarab ، Iran ، prevalence