A CASE OF CYSTICERCUS

CELLULOSAE IN A PIG AT THE

KUMASI ABATTOIR ON 3RD

NOVEMBER, 2014PRESENTED BY

ERNEST BOATENG11/16/2014SVM-KNUST

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INTRODUCTION

Cysticercus is the name of the larva or cyst which forms part of the life cycle of the tapeworm

• Cysticercus cellulosae is the larval stage (cysticercoid) of Taenia solium, a human tapeworm parasite that has swine and wild boars as intermediate hosts

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INTRODUCTION CONTD.

• The disease caused by this and other cysticercoids is called cysticercosis

• Cysticercus cellulosae occurs worldwide, mainly in poorly developed rural regions with insufficient sanitary conditions

• Other livestock are also infested with different cysticercoids eg. cysticercus bovis in cattle

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LIFE CYCLE

• As all tapeworms, Taenia solium has an indirect life cycle, with humans as final hosts, and swine and wild boars as intermediate hosts

• Segments of the tapeworm in people are passed out in the feces

• They contain eggs which are eaten by the pig

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LIFE CYCLE CONTD.

• The cysticercus develops in the skeletal or cardiac muscles of the pig and the cycle is completed by the human eating inadequately cooked infected pork.

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LIFE CYCLE CONTD.

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WAYS PIGS GET INFECTED

• Ingesting food or water contaminated with eggs or gravid segments of Taenia solium

• Contamination of pig feed can occur through undue defecation of humans in the pastures or stables

• Indirectly through irrigation with contaminated human sewage

• Using contaminated human feces as fertilizers

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PIG EATING HUMAN EXCRETA

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CLINICALS SIGNS

• Cysticercus cellulosae is not pathogenic for swine and usually the infection causes no clinical signs

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DIAGNOSIS

• Cysticercus cellulosae are identified at meat inspection

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DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

• Myositis

• Abscess and granuloma caused injection

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TREATMENT

• No highly effective compounds are available for treatment in the pig

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MANAGEMENT CONTROL AND

PREVENTION• This is achieved by preventing pig access to

human feces

• By meat inspection and the burning of infested carcasses

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ARE INFECTEDPIGS CONTAGIOUS TO

HUMANS?• Yes

• Humans can become infected with Taeniasolium tapeworms after eating raw or insufficiently cooked pork or other tissues from infested swine

• Simple contact with infested pigs or their feces is not contagious

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ORIGIN OF THE PIG

• From the Northern part of Ghana

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PREVALENCE IN GHANA

• This condition is very common in the northern part of Ghana due to the system of management of pigs

• In 2010, Dr. Paul Poku did a survey in the Jirapa district

• 344 pigs were used and 11.1% tested positive

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CYSTICERCUS CELLULOSAE AT MEAT

INSPECTION

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CYSTS IN THE THIGH MUSCLE

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CYSTS IN THE TRICEPS

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GENERAL MUSCLE CYST INFESTATION

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CLASSICAL CYSTS IN THE HEART

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JUDGEMENT

• The whole carcass together with the diaphragm and the heart were condemned

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DISCUSSION

• Sometimes, when the cyst is localized it is frozen for 2 weeks to render the cyst inactive and also make pork consumable.

• In this case the cyst infestation was heavy in the muscle hence the total condemnation

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