Serological Prevalence of Ovine Fasciolosis at Two Slaughterhouse in the Province of Djelfa in Algeria

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate the prevalence and some associated risk factors of Fasciola hepatica in sheep in the Algerian agro-pastoral region, Djelfa. For this, a total of 217 blood samples were taken from sheep (100 females and 117 males) aged on average ten months in two slaughterhouses in an Algerian agro-pastoral region, Djelfa during the period from January to October 2021 and analyzed by the ELISA method (BIOK 211-Monoscreen AbELISA Fasciola hepatica test) at the regional veterinary laboratory of Laghouat. The collected sera were numbered and stored at -20°C until analysis. Technical sheets were filled out with each sampled animal, including information on age, sex, locality and season. The results showed that the rate of positive seroprevalence of Fasciola hepatica was 0.46% in sheep. This positivity rate was found in April in a 2-year-old female. At the same time, two doubtful cases (0.92%) were identified, one in a five-year-old female during the month of August and the other in a six-month-old male during the month of September. These results indicate the possibility of fasciolosis infestation in sheep farms in the Djelfa region and the zoonotic risk that this represents, as well as the economic losses that result from it.