A Survey on Sarcocystis Infection Rate in Slaughtered Cattle and Sheep by Macroscopic Inspection and Pepsin Digestion Methods in Hamadan Abattoir, Iran, 2014

Introduction & 130 heteroxenous species of sarcosytis with different life cycle and pathogenesis have been recognized. The pathogenic species for humans are S. hominis from cattle and S. suihominis from pig that humans are definitive and cattle and pig are intermedi-ate hosts. Some species of Sarcocystis can cause important economic loss and disease in livestock، and health issues in humans. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in slaughtered Cattle and sheep in Hamadan، west of Iran. In this cross sectional descriptive study a total of 324 cattle and 334 sheep carcasses were examined using naked eye inspection for macroscopic Sarcocysts، and digestion method، for microscopic types of parasite. Muscles from thigh، heart، tongue، esophagus، diaphragm and costal muscles were examined. All carcasses examined by naked eyes and tissues were minced and poured in digestion medium separately and sediment was examined microscopically. The prevalence of microscopic Sarcocystis in cattle was detected in 100% and there was no macroscopic cyst in examined carcasses. However، the prevalence of microscopic Sarcocystis in the sheep was also 100% and the sarcocysts were found in the 48. 34 % of esophagus and 29. 49% of diaphragm muscles by naked eyes inspection. The digestion is found the most sensitive method for diagnosis of Sarcocystis. Al-though 100% of muscles were found infected but the majority of the cysts in the sheep and all in the cattle were as microcysts. That means، the meat should be cooked sufficiently irrespec-tive of meat inspection results.