Prevalence of liver fluke infections in slaughtered animals in Trakya (Thrace), Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of liver fluke infections in cattle and sheep in Trakya (The European Part of Turkey). For this purpose the slaughterhouses of different localities (Tekirdag, Hadimkoy, Luleburgaz, Corlu, Kirklareli and Kesan) were visited between 03.03.1997 and 22.10.1997, and a total of 476 sheep and 415 cattle livers were examined. The prevalence rates of fasciolosis hepatica and dicrocoeliosis dendriticum were 3.99% and 23.55% in sheep, and 0.48% and 2.65% in cattle respectively. No changes in livers, which led to the partial or total condemnation, were observed.