Prevalence, Control Strategies, and Risk Factors of Major Metacestode Infections in Small Ruminants Across Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The increasing demand for goat and sheep production in sub-Saharan Africa, due to their resilience to climatic conditions, is hindered by several factors, including metacestode infections. Despite control efforts targeting zoonotic parasitic diseases by international organisations, including the World Health Organisation, cultural practices and the close association between small ruminants and dogs in pastoral communities continue to facilitate transmission. This systematic review assessed the prevalence, control measures, and risk factors of major metacestode infections in goats and sheep across sub-Saharan Africa. A comprehensive search in PubMed, Google Scholar, and AJOL identified 29 relevant studies out of 10,040 publications, revealing significant gaps in reporting. The median (IQR) prevalence of metacestodes in small ruminants has been indicated to be higher with Cysticercus tenuicollis at 46.05% (34.52; 13.03–66.00%) followed by, in descending order; Cysticercus ovis (16.25; 8.49%- 24%) hydatid cysts (12.13%; 11.26%; 2.20–66.50%) and Coenurus cerebralis (8.3%; 24.26%; range: 3.80–44.45%). Moreover, the maximum and minimum prevalence of metacestodes in small ruminants have been recorded for hydatid cysts at 66.5% and 2.2%, respectively. Control strategies recommended in the reviewed studies include improved livestock management, hygiene, and reducing stray dog populations to disrupt the transmission cycle. The high prevalence underscores the critical impact of these infections on small ruminant productivity in the region.