Sarcocystis infection in slaughtered cattle in Zango abattoir, Zaria, Nigeria

Background: Sarcocystis infection is a parasitic zoonosis, which may cause acute and fatal clinical diseases in susceptible cattle. When raw or undercooked infected beef is consumed by man, it could result in intestinal sarcocystosis. Aim: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in slaughtered cattle in Zaria, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in which oesophagus and diaphragm samples were collected from 200 slaughtered cattle and analysed by pepsin-hydrochloric acid digestion and stained with Giemsa. Histological sections of tissues were prepared and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Results: Eighty-five (42.5 %) were positive for Sarcocystis species. Sarcocysts ranged from 228.8 to 1215 mu m in length and 46.93 to 114.40 mu m in width. Sarcocysts were all microscopic in nature and 99.0 % had thin cyst wall (< 1 mu m), while 4 % had thick cyst wall (3.61 to 7.22 mu m). Sarcocystis cruzi and S. hominis were the identified species. Age, sex and breed were not determinants of the infection (p > 0.05). Seventy-five (88.2 %) and 56 (65.9 %) cattle had sarcocysts in the oesophagus and diaphragm respectively. There was a significant difference in the distribution of sarcocysts between the oesophagus and diaphragm (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study has established in the study area the prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in cattle using tissue digestion method and histology. The identified species were of veterinary and public health importance.