No abstract

Taenia solium cysticercosis is a neglected parasitic zoonosis occurring in many developing countries. Socio-cultural determinants related to its control remain unclear. Studies in Africa have shown that the underuse of sanitary facilities and the widespread occurrence of free-roaming pigs are the major risk factors for porcine cysticercosis. The study objective was to assess the communities’ perceptions, practices and knowledge regarding latrines in a T. solium endemic rural area in Eastern Zambia inhabited by the Nsenga ethno-linguistic group, and to identify possible barriers to their construction and use. A total of 21 focus group discussions on latrine use were organized separately with men, women and children, in seven villages of the Petauke district. The themes covered were related to perceived latrine availability (absence-presence, building obstacles) and perceived latrine use (defecation practices, latrine management, socio-cultural constraints).The findings reveal that latrines were not constructed in every household because of the convenient use of existing latrines in the neighborhood. Latrines were perceived to contribute to good hygiene mainly because they prevent pigs from eating human feces. Men expressed reluctance to abandon the open-air defecation practice mainly because of toilet-associated taboos with in-laws and grown-up children of the opposite gender. When reviewing conceptual frameworks of people’s approach to sanitation, we found that seeking privacy and taboos hindering latrine use and construction were mainly explained in our study area by the fact that the Nsenga observe a traditionally matrilineal descent. These findings indicate that in this local context latrine promotion messages should not only focus on health benefits in general. Since only men were responsible for building latrines and mostly men preferred open defecation, sanitation programs should also be directed to men and address related sanitary taboos in order to be effective.

From a total of 32 717 cattle slaughtered, 183 whole carcass condemnations were attributable to 9 diseases and conditions, namely, tuberculosis (TB), cysticercosis, emaciation, generalised lymphadenitis, jaundice, abscesses, moribund, sarcosporidiosis and odour. Bovine TB was the most important cause of condemnations (152/183, 83.1 %). Bovine cysticercosis and sarcosporidiosis accounted for 5/183 (2.7 %) and 8/183 (4.4 %), respectively, while each of the remaining conditions contributed less. Among the many conditions responsible for offal/organ condemnations were fascioliasis, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, hydatidosis and TB. In terms of number and weight, Fasciola gigantica infections made livers and lungs the most condemned offals (20.1 % and 0.7 %, respectively). Hydatidosis was the cause of 0.9 % lung and 0.1 % liver losses. Cysticercus bovis contributed to only 0.05 % of all inspected tongues, hearts, and heads. TB was very rare in heads (0.01 %). The financial impact of whole carcasses and offals condemned during the study period was enormous and deprived livestock farmers of the much needed revenue and consumers of protein sources. Much or all of the condemned material that could have been useful was wasted by not being retrieved for conversion to processed meat, bone meal or pet food. Failure to detect lesions of potential zoonotic diseases at slaughter poses a health risk to consumers especially when meat is eaten undercooked. ried out by veterinarians and paraveterinarians using standard procedures described in the Public Health (meat, abattoir and butcheries) regulations under CAP 295 of the Laws of Zambia. Cattle that are slaughtered in these abattoirs are brought by trekking or by road in trucks from most parts of Western Province.Qualitative data were analysed manually for content and recurrent themes in the text. Carcass condemnations were pooled into year of occurrence while the percentage of a single cause of condemnation throughout the study period was calculated as a ratio of that cause over all causes. Offal condemnations were likewise recorded and analysed except for the percentage throughout the study period of all condemnations of a specific offal, which was calculated as a ratio of that cause over all the inspected items. Unlike many types of offal, lungs and kidneys are paired in each animal. These were counted as individual items and contributed to the denominator. Conditions that led to few offal condemnations were grouped together under the name 'others'. RESULTS Carcass condemnationsThe total number of carcass condemned for all causes was 183, representing 0.51 % (n = 37 717) of cattle examined during the (Table 1).Cysticercus bovis accounted for only 2.7 % of carcass condemnations. Four cases were moribund (2.2 %), and another 8 condemned due to sarcosporidiosis Table 1 were lower. Offal or organ condemnationsLivers (46.8 %) and lungs (11.0 %) were by far the most condemned offal over the whole study period while tongues (0.6 %) and hearts (1.2 %) were the least cond...

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and some factors influencing occurrence of fasciolosis in cattle, carried out at selected major abattoirs in Zambia. Of 841 cattle livers inspected and 677 faecal samples analysed, prevalence rates of 53.9% and 48.9%, respectively, were found. Cumulative prevalence of 60.9% (n = 677) was recorded. According to age, no significant difference of infection was found. Female cattle on liver inspection (59.3%) and coprological examination (65.2%) had significantly higher (P < 0.001) rates than males (44.5% and 36.3% respectively). Origin of cattle had a significant influence (P < 0.001) on the prevalence rate. According to fluke egg count classification, 68.5% of cattle had light infection, 20.9% moderate, 4.4% heavy and 6.2% severe. These results indicate that Fasciola gigantica infection is an important condition that leads to high liver condemnations and/or trimmings in cattle tendered for slaughter.