Anatomo-pathological study of lung lesions in slaughtered sheep at Batna municipal Slaughterhouse (Eastern Algeria)

Abstract

This study focused on the research of lung lesions in sheep slaughtered in the slaughterhouse of Batna city (Eastern Algeria). The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of lung lesions during the period from March to September 2013. Macroscopic examination was performed at the slaughterhouse to determine lung lesions and to take samples from injured lung areas for microscopic examination of anatomo-pathological lesions. Among 7420 inspected sheep, 2722 had pulmonary lesions (alone or in combination). The overall prevalence of lung affection was 36.68% (2722/7420), which is statistically significant (P < 0.001). Different pulmonary lesions were observed in the lungs with a rate of 43.91% (3258). The main pathologies of the lungs were heparization, verminous pneumonia, atelectasis, emphysema, edema, hydatid cysts, hemorrhage, pleurisy, suppurative broncho-pneumonia, abscess, and pulmonary congestion. Verminous pneumonia was the dominant pathology during the study period (745/3258) with a frequency of 22.87%. This lesion was preferentially localized in the caudal lobes, followed by atelectasis (22.16%) and hepatization (19.67%). The lesions of emphysema and suppurative broncho-pneumonia were observed only in young sheep with a frequency of 03.97% and 01.29%, respectively. Hydatid cyst was observed mainly in adults with 49 cases versus only one case in young animals. Season and age had a significant effect on the occurrence of some pulmonary lesions. Microscopic examination confirmed the macroscopic aspects of the lesions. The latter were well distributed on the different parts of the lung parenchyma, 05.27% of lesions were localized across the lung parenchyma. 73.79% of the lesions were localized in the right lung against 20.17% in the left lung.