Review on Bovine Cysticercosis and Public Health Importance

Hussein Mohammed Roba, Pro Tadele Tolosa

Abstract: Cysticercosis is an important zoonotic disease that affects both human and animals in Ethiopia. Bovine cysticercosis is a parasitic infection of cattle caused by the larval stage (cysticercus) of the cestode Taenia saginata. It is a cosmopolitan disease occurring in industrialised as well as developing countries. However, its distribution is associated with economic conditions, religious beliefs and close proximity of humans to cattle in utility function. Humans are the definitive host and harbour the adult form of the parasite in their intestines. Terminal segments containing eggs are detached from the adult parasite and millions of eggs may be released daily to the environment and cattle acquire the infection through the ingestion of eggs. The parasite migrates to metabolically active muscles where it develops into cysticerci and humans get infected by consuming raw or undercooked meat containing infective cysticerci. In cattle, natural infections are normally asymptomatic but they cause financial losses to the cattle industry due to downgrading, condemnation, extra handling, refrigeration and transport of the infected carcasses. The prevalence of the disease both in human and animals is high and economically significant. Nowadays, since there are accustoms of eating raw meat, lack of knowledge about ways of disease transmission, backyard slaughtering of animals especially during holydays, ignorance incision of meat by meat inspectors and lack of sanitation can give a great favour for continual existence of the parasite within the human and animal population. Strict routine meat inspection of slaughtered animals should be carried out and there should be public awareness about the health and economic importance of the disease.

Keywords: Bovine cysticercosis, Taeniasis, Taenia saginata