Kouidri Mokhtaria1, Smail Fadela1,2, Selles Sidi Mohammed Ammar1,2, Belhamiti Tahar Belkacem1,2, Ait Amrane Amar1,2, Abdelhadi Si Ameur1 and Barani Abdelkader1
1 Institute of Veterinary Science, Ibn-Khaldoun University of Tiaret, Tiaret 14000, Algeria
2 Laboratory of Research on Local Animal Products, Ibn-Khaldoun University of Tiaret, Tiaret 14000, Algeria
Mokhtaria, K., Fadela, S., Ammar, S. S. M., Belkacem, B. T., Amar, A. A., Ameur, A. S. & Abdelkader, B. (2018). Cysticercus tenuicollis in small ruminants of Algeria: abattoir survey, biochemical and morphological characterizations. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 24(4), 698–703
The present study was designed to determine the prevalence of Cysticercus tenuicollis in Tiaret Abattoir (Algeria) and compare biochemical profiles of some metacestodes collected from sheep and goats. 1973 sheep and 1175 goats examined, 155 carcasses of sheep and 263 of goats harbored the cysts, representing infection rates of 7.8 and 22.3%, respectively (p < 0.05). In both sheep and goats, the rate infection of C. tenuicollis was significantly higher in male than female. In sheep, liver was the most infected organ. In goats, omentum and liver were the most infected. Various biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, sodium, potassium and chlorine) were measured using conventional laboratory methods for a total of 24 cysts (13 cysts from goats and 11 from sheep). Cholesterol and triglycerides have higher mean in parasite bladders of sheep but glucose had higher mean in goats. Urea showed equal mean and range both in parasite bladders of sheep and goats. For the minerals, sodium and chlorine showed higher mean in goats and only potassium had higher mean in sheep. Morphological criteria showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between those of sheep and goats, namely: the length of the small hook blade, the length of the large hook blade, the length of the handle of the small hook and the length of the handle of the large hook. Numerous biochemical and morphological parameters studied showed significant differences. These suggest the existence of different sub-species of T. hydatigena in the study area.