Observations on Taenia saginata Cysticercosis in Cattle Slaughtered in Tanzania

Abstract

Cysticercosis was detected in 52 (10.5%) out of 496 slaughtered cattle in the municipal abattoirs of Arusha, Dodoma, Iringa, Morogoro and Mpwapwa district in Tanzania during the period June,   1991 to November, 1991. The prevalence rates in the individual abattoirs were 16.7% (Arusha), 9.6% (Iringa), 8% (Dodoma), 7.6% (Mpwapwa) and 6.5% (Morogoro). The average cattle prevalence was 10.2%. Investigations at the sites routinely examined to search for T. saginata cysticercosis in 15 infected bovines at Morogoro abattoir, Tanzania, revealed that naturally infected zebu cattle harboured on average 40.3± 9.2 SD cysticerci at the routine inspection sites. Relative concentration of cysts per site in percentage indicated the cysticerci were located preferentially in the following order: heart (29.5%); M. triceps brachii (26.5%); M. psoas (12.6%); the tongue (6.8%); and masseter muscles (6.3%). The heart was considered an important site to search for cysticerci of T. saginata due to relatively high concentration of cyst (29.5%) in that organ. Viable cysticerci of T. saginata were detected in 60% of the infected bovine carcass while 73.3% had degenerated cysts which posed both zoonotic threat and affect markertability    of the meat. It was concluded that T. saginata cysticercosis is still a problem in Tanzania and recommended to intensify public health education to control human taeniasis   and cysticercosis