PREVALENCE OF BOVINE FASCIOLOSIS FROM THE BOLGATANGA ABATTOIR, GHANA

Abstract

Fasciolosis is a neglected tropical foodborne trematodiasis caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. It is a widely distributed infection in livestock in Africa but its disease situation is less understood in many countries such as Ghana. In the present study, a crosssectional survey was conducted at the Bolgatanga abattoir, in the Upper East Region of Ghana, to determine the prevalence and distribution of bovine fasciolosis and the Fasciola species involved. A total of 263 cattle were screened at slaughter and isolated Fasciola flukes were molecularly identified to species level by PCR-RFLP of the 28SrRNA gene using Ava II endonuclease. Fasciolosis prevalence was 10.27% across all age categories, and female and male animals were affected alike. Fasciola species differentiation revealed Fasciola gigantica in all cases. This study confirms the occurrence of F. gigantica and its predominance in Ghana Upper East Region and provides basal data for further investigations into the prevalence of Fasciola spp. in other parts of Ghana and neighbouring countries.