5 research outputs found
Most common meat inspection findings of sheep in a Finnish slaughterhouse : a descriptive study
Peer reviewe
Filarioid nematodes in cattle, sheep and horses in Finland
Background: In autumn 2006, Finnish meat inspection data revealed lesions in tendons, muscles
and ligaments of bovine hind legs leading to partial condemnation of carcasses. In gross pathological
examination at Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Oulu (now Fish and Wildlife Health) Research
Unit, Onchocerca sp. (Filarioidea; Onchocercidae) nematodes were detected in lesions. Due to this,
a pilot study was made in order to find out what filarioid nematodes do occur in cattle, horses and
sheep in Finland.
Methods: Ventral skin biopsies from 209 dairy cattle and 42 horses, as well as blood samples from
209 cattle, 146 horses and 193 sheep, were collected from different parts of Finland and examined
for microfilariae. Visceral organs and other tissues from 33 cattle with parasitic lesions were
studied histopathologically.
Results: Onchocerca sp. microfilariae (mf), 240 μm long, range 225–260 μm, 5.4 μm thick, were
found in 37% of the skin biopsies of cattle. All blood samples from cattle, horses and sheep and skin
biopsies from horses were negative for mf. Ventral skin microfilaria prevalence in cattle was higher
in southern Finland than in the North (p = 0.001). Animal age and sampling time was not associated
with mf prevalence. The infection was evenly distributed among young and older animals.
Macroscopic lesions on tissues included greenish-grey discolouration and often oedema. In most
of the lesions, small pale nodules were seen on the fasciae. Histopathologic examination of the
samples revealed mild to intense infiltration with eosinophilic granulocytes and multifocal nodular
lymphoplasmacytic aggregations were seen. In some samples, there were granulomatotic lesions
with central necrotic tissue and cell detritus, surrounded by eosinophilic granulocytes, lympho-,
plasma- and histiocytes and some multinucleated giant cells. Around living nematodes no or only
weak inflammatory changes were observed.
Conclusion: Onchocerca sp. infection in cattle was found to be common in Finland, but the amount
of pathological changes leading to condemnation of infected parts is low compared to the mf
prevalence. Pronounced pathological changes are distinct but rare and mild changes are difficult to
distinguish. No other filarioid nematodes were observed from the animals and it appears that
horses and sheep may be free from filarioid nematodes in Finland
Filarioid nematodes in cattle, sheep and horses in Finland
Background: In autumn 2006, Finnish meat inspection data revealed lesions in tendons, muscles
and ligaments of bovine hind legs leading to partial condemnation of carcasses. In gross pathological
examination at Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Oulu (now Fish and Wildlife Health) Research
Unit, Onchocerca sp. (Filarioidea; Onchocercidae) nematodes were detected in lesions. Due to this,
a pilot study was made in order to find out what filarioid nematodes do occur in cattle, horses and
sheep in Finland.
Methods: Ventral skin biopsies from 209 dairy cattle and 42 horses, as well as blood samples from
209 cattle, 146 horses and 193 sheep, were collected from different parts of Finland and examined
for microfilariae. Visceral organs and other tissues from 33 cattle with parasitic lesions were
studied histopathologically.
Results: Onchocerca sp. microfilariae (mf), 240 μm long, range 225–260 μm, 5.4 μm thick, were
found in 37% of the skin biopsies of cattle. All blood samples from cattle, horses and sheep and skin
biopsies from horses were negative for mf. Ventral skin microfilaria prevalence in cattle was higher
in southern Finland than in the North (p = 0.001). Animal age and sampling time was not associated
with mf prevalence. The infection was evenly distributed among young and older animals.
Macroscopic lesions on tissues included greenish-grey discolouration and often oedema. In most
of the lesions, small pale nodules were seen on the fasciae. Histopathologic examination of the
samples revealed mild to intense infiltration with eosinophilic granulocytes and multifocal nodular
lymphoplasmacytic aggregations were seen. In some samples, there were granulomatotic lesions
with central necrotic tissue and cell detritus, surrounded by eosinophilic granulocytes, lympho-,
plasma- and histiocytes and some multinucleated giant cells. Around living nematodes no or only
weak inflammatory changes were observed.
Conclusion: Onchocerca sp. infection in cattle was found to be common in Finland, but the amount
of pathological changes leading to condemnation of infected parts is low compared to the mf
prevalence. Pronounced pathological changes are distinct but rare and mild changes are difficult to
distinguish. No other filarioid nematodes were observed from the animals and it appears that
horses and sheep may be free from filarioid nematodes in Finland