Taenia ovis cysts in lamb meat: the relationship between the number of cysts observed at meat inspection and the number of cysts found by fine slicing of tissue

Authors: Heath DD, Twaalfhoven H, Lawrence SB
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 33, Issue 9, pp 152-154, Sep 1985
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Alimentary system/gastroenterology, Biosecurity, Cestode, Parasites - internal, Disease surveillance, Meat, Contamination/hygiene, Public health
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: The Cysticercus ovis survey of McNab and Roberston, conducted in New Zealand from 1967-70, concluded that meat inspection results seriously underestimated the incidence of C.ovis, and that the true incidence could be 510 times that based simply on routine inspection. This survey found that figures were 50% higher on average than the figures produced by the specific works on that day, indicating that an interested observer looking for only T. ovis cysts, could find more cysts than the meat inspector. From 190 carcases that had no observable cysts at meat inspection, 50 (26%) were found to contain cysts when finely sliced. The estimate of true incidence was therefore based on the combination of these two factors. No figures were available for the prevalence of cysts in sheep and lambs, and neither were the figures available to relate the number of cysts observed at meat inspection to the number of…

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