A Review of Bovine Cysticercosis (Cysticercus bovis) in Cattle Slaughtered: Prevalence, Distribution and Cyst Viability

Abstract

The purpose this review gathers the available information for easy acces and identifies where further research is required. Bovine cysticercosis is a zoonosis of socioeconomic and public health importance. Economically important to the meat industry, for losses incurred from condemnation, downgrading and refrigeration of carcasses. Dietary habits and culinary practices affect transmission. Taeniosis is more common in populations/age groups that consume raw or undercooked beef. The prevalence of bovine cysticercosis shows wide variation between countries, regions and slaughterhouses. High-prevalence in Eastern African countries, moderate prevalence in Asia and Latin America, and low prevalence in USA, Canada and Australia. The anatomical distribution of Cysticercus to the inspection is higher in heart and masseter muscles. While the anatomical distribution of Cysticercus to the total dissection is wide. According to the classification concerning viability, the occurrence of metacestode nonviable (dead) dominates viable (alive). From the Cysticercus alive, most are located in the masseter muscle followed by heart, tongue; whereas from those dead, most are located in the heart’s muscles, followed by masseter muscles and tongue. En conclusion the prevalence data on bovine cysticercosis usually come from meat inspection results. Many studies report on the low sensitivity of meat inspection, resulting in an underestimation of the prevalence of bovine cysticercosis. This partly explains the persistence of T. saginata in industrialised countries. The heart was confirmed as the preferred site for detection of cysticercosis based on high cyst density and frequency of infection. More extensive examination of the heart is recommended to improve detection of infected animals.

Keywords

• Cysticercus bovis
• prevalence
• distribution of cysticerci
• viability
• bovino.