Slaughter surveillance for tuberculosis among cattle in three metropolitan abattoirs in Ghana

Abstract

Despite its existence in Ghana, there is very little information on the extent or nature of bovine tuberculosis. This state of affairs may pose a serious public health threat through risks associated with the consumption of beef from infected cattle, dairy milk and other bovine products. A study to screen bovine carcasses with lesions suggestive of mycobacterial infection at necropsy in three selected abattoirs in Accra was conducted. A total of 2,886 cattle slaughtered in 3 abattoirs in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana between June and October, 2009 were examined at necropsy for lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis. Specimens taken from suspicious lesions were first subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen microscopy and then cultured on Löwenstein-Jensen media containing both pyruvate and glycerol. One hundred and fifty five (155) tissue samples were elicited from only lesions presenting with classical patho-morphological features consistent with bovine tuberculosis in organs found in 145 cattle. These results indicate that 5% (or 145/2886) of the cattle carcasses inspected at slaughter in the Accra region exhibited lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis and this poses a serious public health threat. Visual inspection at necropsy, provided done proficiently, could serve as the primary screening measure for beef contaminated with mycobacterial species in abattoirs in resource-poor settings. Microscopic examination, because of its revealed high specificity in this work may be employed, only as a supplementary test, in difficult cases.

Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis and distribution of tuberculous lesions in cattle slaughtered at Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia

“…Therefore, given the frequently practiced routine abattoir inspection, there might be lots of missed lesions; which could contribute to the distribution of unsafe meat for the public. In contrast to the report by Dechassa [2014, 50 ], a study conducted in Ghana recommended that if done proficiently, visual inspection at necropsy could serve as the primary screening measure for beef contaminated with mycobacterial species in abattoirs in resource-poor settings [ 58 ]. Differences among the diverse studies, including the current study might be explained by the different examination procedures followed, routine abattoir inspections, or detailed postmortem examination.…”

Estimated Prevalence of Tuberculosis in Ruminants from Slaughterhouses in Constantine Province (Northeastern Algeria): A 10-Year Retrospective Survey (2011–2020)

“…Likewise, the prevalence rate reported in the present study was lower than those obtained in previous studies conducted in Morocco (3.7% and 4.6%) [ 29 , 30 ], and Tunisia (3.39%) [ 31 ]. High levels of bTB have also been reported in other African countries, including Ghana (5%) [ 32 ], Cameroon (11.22%) [ 33 ], and Ethiopia (4.7%) [ 9 ]. In Turkey, the prevalence of tuberculosis lesions was found to be 7.7% in cattle after macroscopic examinations [ 34 ].…”

Knowledge and practice of bovine tuberculosis among occupational workers in abattoirs in Abuja

“…Damene et al, (2020) reported small circumscribed tubercles with yellow content in the left tracheobronchial lymph node; white-yellowish foci in the medial mediastinal lymph node; yellow necrosis in the liver; grey to white-yellowish tubercle in the uterus; gray-reddish tubercle and Large caseous mass in the lungs. Samuel et al, (2014) reported calcified and necrotic granulomas in the lungs of a bull carcass. Similarly, Woldemariyam et al, (2021) reported nodules, caseation of bronchial lymph node and white spots in the lung.…”