Pathological study of liver lesions in cattle slaughtered at Kirkuk province abattoir

Abstract

Current study aimed to identify the gross and microscopic lesions and their percentage in liver of cattle slaughtered in Kirkuk province abattoir. A total of 6211 liver sample were examined during period from 01/08/2016 until 01/12/2016 with total cattle liver that showed gross lesions 738 cases. A gross examination was applied to affected liver and tissue sample were taken from lesions for histopathological examination. The result of current study showed that the total liver lesions in cattle is about 11.88% (738/6211) which distributed as liver fluke infestation 3.34% (213/6211), hydatid cyst 3.12% (194/6211), liver abscess 2.29% (142/6211), cholangiohepatitis 2.01% (125/6211), and hepatic hemorrhage with congestion 1.03% (64/6211). The results of gross and microscopic examination of liver infested with liver fluke showed presence of thickening in bile ducts with adult fluke as well as liver atrophy with hyperplasia of epithelial cell in affected bile ducts with dystrophic calcification. While in case of hydatid cyst the lesions composed from presence of larval stage in form of white cyst in different size and their walls composed from hyperplasia of fibrocytes and fibrin strands. In case of hepatic hemorrhage and congestion the result showed sever congestion with staining of liver tissue by blood color, with presence of red blood cells in association with inflammatory cells between hepatocytes. While in case of hepatic abscess we noticed presence of white to yellow solid lesions that randomly distributed in different shape and size composed from necrotic center with infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells and hyperplasia of fibrocytes. While in case of cholangiohepatitis the affected area showed paleness with accumulation of bile material inside bile ducts, as well as hyperplasia of affected ducts and fibrosis in portal areas with infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells in liver tissue with dystrophic calcification in bile ducts. We concluded from current study that wide spread of hepatic lesions in liver of cattle in Kirkuk province and this result should be taken in more serious action which can result in economic losses as well as possibility of zoonosis of these pathogens to human, also the gross lesions described by current study were identically similar to microscopic lesions.