Survey of cysticercus (bladder worm) in meat sold for consumption in Bukuru, Plateau State, Nigeria

A cross – sectional study of bovine, porcine and dog cysticercosis was carried out in Bukuru Plateau State Nigeria,in 2010 using Gyel Bukuru abattoir, Fwagul and Kuru trade centre slaughtering abattoir, as study areas. Two hundred and twenty-five samples were collected at random comprising of seventy-five samples each from cattle, dog and pig respectively, where twenty-five samples were taking for raw meat, cooked meat and feaces in relation to the sex of the animals examined. The overall prevalence rate of 28 (12.44 %) was recorded out of the total sample of 225. Raw meat records 10 (4.44 %), cooked meat record 7 (3.11 %) and feaces records 11 (4.98 %) infection rate. X2 analysis show no significant difference in the prevalence rate of cysticercus in meat and cyst in feaces of the examined animals (p > 0.05). There was no record of infection in cattle, both in beef and feaces in different sexes of the cattle examined, sex specific incidence rate obtained in both studies did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). The female animal studied had the highest infection rate of 17 (60.71 %).There was significant difference in tapeworms encountered with the meat and feaces examined (p < 0.05) Taenia solium had the highest infection rate of 14 (6.22 %), Dipylidium caninum had 12 (5.33 %) with the least infestatioin recorded in T. hydatigena 2 (0.89 %). Hence no record of T. saginata infection was encountered in the present study. However mixed infection was recorded in Dog with T. hydatigena & D. caninum.