Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica are two trematodes (liver flukes) that cause water- and food-borne disease Fasciolosis. Many animals are involved in the life cycle of the Fasciola spp., such as sheep, cattle, and camels, and humans are the definitive host. This work investigated the prevalence of Fasciola among imported and local slaughtered sheep and the relation between infection rate and seasons of the year. A total of 720,290 local and imported sheep (251,701 and 468,489, respectively) were slaughtered in a Jeddah slaughterhouse (Western region of Saudi Arabia) over the periods of 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020. In the three years of inspection, the infection rate at slaughter was higher among imported than local sheep. In 2017-2018, both local and imported sheep had the highest level of infection in the spring and the lowest in the winter. However, in 2018-2019, the highest rate of infection for both was documented in the summer and the lowest in the winter. Lastly, in 2019-2020, the highest rate of infection for local sheep was observed in the summer of 2020 and the lowest rate of infection was observed in the spring of 2020. Among imported sheep, the highest rate of infection was in the summer and the lowest was in winter for both 2019 and 2020. To control this disease, there is the need to apply for successful integrated programs and practice adaptive management techniques.

A total number of 60 specimens of two different species of Scarus fish caught from the Red Sea coast at Jeddah (30) and Rabigh (30) cities in Saudi Arabia were examined to determine their metazoan parasitic fauna, their prevalences, and mean intensities. Collected parasites were identified as, Isopoda (praniza larva of Gnathia sp.), Copepoda (Hatschekia sp.) Monogenea (Diplectanum sp.) and Digenea (Lecithoclaster and Bucephalus spp). Out of 30 specimens of fish caught from Jeddah coast 13 (43.4%) were infested by 90 parasites comprising of two parasite species, praniza larva and Hatschekia sp., with prevalence of infestation 40% and 3.33%, and mean intensity 7 and 6 parasites per fish respectively. 19 (63.3%) of Scarus fish caught from Rabigh coast were infested by 205 parasites representing 4 parasite spp. Diplectanum sp. represents the most commonly encountered parasite with prevalence (53.3%) and mean intensity (10.94%), followed by (Lecithoclaster sp. then praniza larva, prevalances (16.66% and 13.3%) and mean inentisities (3.4. and 1.75) respectively. Bucephalus sp. showed the minor, prevalence (3.33%) and mean intensity (6). Generally Scarus fish species from Rabigh had higher prevalence and mean intensity (63.3% and 7.59%) than Scarus fish species from Jeddah (43.4% and 6.92%). Female fish from Jeddah showed no parasitic infestation, while males were infested (prevalence 65% and mean intensity 6.92). Female fish from Rabigh had higher prevalence (84.21) and lower intensity (6.43) than males which showed prevalence (27.27%) and intensity (19). Relationship between parasitic infestation and fish species and sex were also studied in the two different localities and discussed.

Cysticercus ovis the intermediate stage of a canine tapeworm, Taenia ovis, produces cystic lesions in the skeletal and cardiac muscle of goats. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of cysticercus ovis in goats collected from Al Kakee’s Slaughter, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. A number of goats were collected for examination, a total of 51,750 locally raised goats and 61,911 imported goats. The experiment started at May 2017 and ended in April 2018. The results revealed that cysticercus ovis is common among imported goats more than local goats as implied in the tables attached below. As well as the evidence that the highest rate of infections was found during the warm months of summer.

Background In Saudi Arabia, more than US$ 0.2 million annual losses are caused by liver condemnations due to fascioliasis. Data obtained from the genetic characterization of Fasciola population sheds light on parasite transmission which could eventually help in development of effective parasite control measures. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of Fasciola spp. isolated from cattle in Saudi Arabia by sequence analyses of COI gene. Materials and Methods A total of 325 cows slaughtered at the central municipal abattoir in Jeddah city, Jeddah Province, Saudi Arabia were examined for fascioliasis in the period from 1 st of June to 1 st of July 2020. DNA was extracted from adult Fasciola worms and used for PCR and DNA sequence using a primer pair targeting COI gene. Analysis of the obtained sequences was done using BLAST search and phylogenetic analysis. Results Bovine fascioliasis was diagnosed in 18 out of 325 cattle (5.5%). Forty-eight flukes were extracted from infected animals and DNA was successfully amplified from all flukes. Overall 12 different DNA sequences were obtained. BLAST search showed that all obtained sequences were F. hepatica and had >97% similarity with F. hepatica isolates from Tanzania, Europe and Iran. Phylogenetic analysis of the obtained sequences showed that Fasciola isolates from the current study were clustered in one subclade closely related to isolates from North and South Africa and Italy. Conclusion Reports on the molecular characterization of Fasciola spp. in Saudi Arabia are limited. In the current study, our findings showed that F. hepatica was the only Fasciola species parasitizing cattle in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. Further studies using a large number of samples from different localities in Saudi Arabia are needed to provide data that will help the development of control measures against fascioliasis.

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic illness that spreads from animals to people. Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite that infects warm-blooded mammals, causes the sickness. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that causes abortion and death in animals. Cats are the parasite's sole sexual hosts, thus they're the only ones who can get it. Because cats are frequent pets, they are highly likely to come into touch with humans. As a result, the disease poses a risk to human health. The potential danger is influenced by the frequency of oocyst secretion and the level of contamination in the environment. Toxoplasmosis has serious consequences for both animal and human health, hence preventative actions should be taken to reduce the dangers. COVID-19 is affected by such methods as well. Toxoplasmosis is thought to increase immunological and immunosuppressive factors, which increases the chance of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the severity of the resulting COVID-19. Research into Toxoplasma gondii intermediate hosts might help understand COVID-19's dynamics and determine if the virus can be transferred from animals to humans. We explore what we know about Toxoplasma gondii infection as a human parasitosis and how it may alter the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this review study.

Hydatid cyst disease is one of the most parasitic diseases transmitted from carnivores animals (such as dogs) to humans and causes a deterioration in the general health. Its transmission to herbivores animals led to a substantial economic loss in the meat productivity and reduced its quality. The increase of acquisition of dogs at homes nowadays led to an increase in the risk of infection with many parasitic diseases such as hydatid cyst disease. The present study was conducted to provide a modern view on the current status of hydatid cyst disease among slaughtered animals in Jeddah through periodic visiting to a slaughter house in North Jeddah. The mice prepared have been infected in the peritoneal membrane with 0.2 ml of hydatid cyst fluid containing ±2000 protoscoleces from fertile cysts obtained from an infected goat's liver which resulted in a 75% infection rate. Mice infected with hydatid fluid from fertile cysts obtained from an infected camel's lungs showed a result of 11.1% infection rate. The cysts appeared in the peritoneal and abdominal cavity.

The type of hosts that parasites choose is an interesting topic of study. The harmful diseases that infect marine animals are mostly known to be parasitic, such as monogeneans, Copepods and Isopods infections. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the parasitic infections of shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) and of Scarus fish in the Red Sea located in Jeddah City of Saudi Arabia. For this purpose, 33 Carcharhinus melanopterus and 30 Scarus fish were examined for ectoparasites using wet mount under a light microscope. Collected parasites were identified as, monogenea (Dactylogyrus sp and Erpocotyle tiburonis), Copepoda (Pandarus sinuatus, Anchistrotos tangi and Hatschekia sp) and Isopoda (praniza larva of Gnathia sp). The second purpose of this study was to compare the percentage between Scarus (Osteichthyes) and shark fish (Chondrichthyes) in terms of parasitic infection. Our findings revealed that Monogenea and Copepod infections were found on gills of sharks while Scarus fish were infected by Copepod and Isopod parasites. Parasitic infections can be caused by a number of factors ; it might include the biological and ecological characteristics of the parasite and the host it infests.