HISTOPATHOLOGY OF FASCIOLIASIS-INFESTED COMMERCIAL CATTLE LIVERS (CCL) AT MAJOR MARKETS IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

Abstract

Fascioliasis is an important parasitic foodborne disease responsible for significant public health problems with adverse pathological consequence of human. There are growing concerns about meat hygiene and safety of cattle for commercial purpose. Hence, the present study aimed at randomly reconnoitering some commercial cattle livers (CCL) sold at major markets in Benin City, Nigeria by histopathological examination. Eight hundred and twenty samples of liver tissue with an average weight of 9.25g obtained from 10 major markets in Benin City, Nigeria were examined for fascioliasis infestation between the months of February and August, 2014 using standard histochemical methods. The results showed that 8/820 representing (0.98%) of cattle livers are infested. (Table 1) further revealed that CCL at Aduwawa market had the highest infestation 4/150 representing (2.7%), closely followed by new Benin market 2/110(1.8%); Uselu market 1/80(1.3%) and Oliha market 1/80(1.3%). Gross examination of cattle livers showed multiple patches of necrosis while the histopathology revealed necrosis with dilated hepatic sinusoid, cellular infiltration and inflammatory hepatocyte with marked presence of parasitic infestation. From the preceding, therefore, the hygienic and health status of CCL in Benin City, Nigeria are relatively unsafe. Nonetheless, this is from a histopathology perspective.