Prevalence of cysticercosis and location of cysticercus in carcasses of cattle slices in refrigerators in the Northeast region of Bahia

Resumo

ABSTRACT: In the present study, the prevalence of bovine cysticercosis in 190,461 animals during a three-year period (2014, 2015, and 2016) was analyzed in a refrigerator situated in the northeast region, Bahia, Brazil. The animals were supplied from the Bahia municipalities. The data were obtained from reports of daily condemnation of bovine carcasses, as a result of the presence of cysts, and viscera, especially the liver and heart, together with the tongue and head of the animals, as well as the origin of cattle. Prevalence of bovine cysticercosis was observed in 1204 animals, and the form of viable cysts was higher (0.63%) as viable cysts (0.005%), with a preference for the liver 0.46% and heart 0.14%. With this we conclude that cysticercosis is an important cause of condemnation of viscera and carcasses leading to enormous economic losses. The intervention of the veterinarian in the prevention of cysticercosis should be to interrupt the evolutionary cycle of the parasite, thus reducing, gradually, the frequency of taeniasis in man, the definitive host.