Cysticercosis in Lamb and Goat Meat and Edible Offal Produced In an Abattoir in Iran in 2021

Cysticercosis is a worldwide disease that affects farm animals and, in some cases, like bovine and porcine cysticercosis, is considered zoonosis. This condition, in sheep and goats, results in economic losses especially due to the condemnation of edible offals or meat. In this concern, the aim of this study was to examine cysticercosis and factors influencing the frequency and weight of relevant meat or red offals condemnation among the sheep and goats slaughtered at a slaughterhouse in Iran.  A one-year retrospective cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out to examine the presence of cysticercosis at postmortem inspection. Data regarding the date of slaughter, animal species, sex, and the type of cysticercosis infection (Cysticercus ovis or Cysticercus tenuicollis) were recorded.  A total of 17530 carcasses were contaminated with different types of cysticercosis, and among them, 9072 offals were rejected and 291 cases were totally condemned. During winter the number of contaminated samples was higher compared to the other seasons. Goats were only infected with C. ovis and none of them were totally condemned. The mean proportion of condemned tissues in each contaminated sample was higher in sheep (0.5 kg/case). The damaging effects of cysticercosis in male carcasses were greater than in females, and C. ovis infection resulted in higher weight and rate of offal and carcass condemnation.  In conclusion, it seems that a comprehensive antihelminth strategy must be followed by the relevant food animal producers to decrease the economic losses and zoonoses problems caused by cysticercosis.