Liver Distomatosis in Cattle, Sheep and Goats of Northeastern Iran

5 Abstract: The trematodes Fasciola spp. and Dicrocoelium dendriticum are recognized as the most important zoonotic helminthic parasites of sheep, goat and cattle which are responsible for considerable economic losses to ranchers. This cross-sectional survey was carried out in the slaughterhouse of Bojnourd, Iran from March 2008 to March 2009. During this investigation, the carcasses of 4933 cattle, 23047 sheep and 11545 goats were carefully inspected. The total prevalence of distomatosis and the prevalence rate of Fasciola spp. and D. dendriticum infection, together with the prevalence rate of distomatosis in different seasons, were calculated in these animals. The prevalence rate of Dicrocoelium dendriticum infection was significantly higher than the prevalence of fasciolosis in cattle, sheep and goats (p 0.05). The lowest prevalence rate of Fasciola spp. and D. dentriticum infections was seen in the goats (0.20% and%1.41 respectively) and the highest prevalence rate was present in cattle (%0.71 and%11.03 respectively). Differences in the animal husbandry conditions of cattle with those of sheep and goats, easier accessibility of cattle to intermediate hosts and hereditary resistance of goats and sheep to these parasitic infections might be the reasons for differences in the prevalence rate of infection of these animals.