Abstract:
Hydatidosis is an economically important parasitic disease of cattle in tropical and subtropical
countries responsible for considerable economic losses in the cattle industry, mainly through condemnation
of lung and liver. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2014 to March 2015, with the aims
to determine the prevalence of bovine hydatidosis and estimate its monetary loss as well as to determine the
risk factors and cyst characterization in cattle slaughtered at Elfora Export Abattoir found in Bishoftu
town. Out of the total 412 examined male cattle by routine meat inspection procedure 154 (37.4%) were
harboring hydatid cyst from one or more of their visceral organs. There was statistically significant association
(P <0.05) between age, origin and body condition of the cattle slaughtered and the occurrence of hydatidosis.
The prevalence of hydatidosis was higher among animals >10 years old (51.1%), animals brought from Wollo
(42.4%) and animals with poor body condition (46.8%). The percent involvement of the organs condemnation
due to hydatidosis was found to be 25.7%, 18.2%, 1.7%, 1.2% and 1% of lungs, liver, spleen, kidney and heart
respectively. Anatomical organ distribution of 674 cysts counted, indicated that, 53.7%, 43.17%, 1.48%, 0.89%
and 0.74% were counted from lungs, liver, spleen, kidney and heart respectively. From the total of 82 cysts
collected for laboratory examination, 42 (51.2%) of them were fertile, while the rest 40 (48.8%) of them were sterile
and calcified cysts. Of 42 fertile cysts, 29 (69.0%) of them were viable and 13 (31%) of them were non-viable.
In this study, the estimated annual economic loss due to organ condemnation and live weight loss was
1,160,932.4 ETB (56647.70 USD) per annum based on the local market price in the study period. In general, the
study indicated that hydatidosis is economically important disease of cattle with implication of public health
importance. Hence, application of the conventional preventive and control measures like detail meat inspection,
proper disposal of infected organs and control of stray dogs are recommended to control the disease
