title: Survey onSarcocystisin bovine carcasses slaughtered at the municipal abattoir of El-Kharga, Egypt.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main objectives of this study were to determine the incidence ofSarcocystissp. infection in cattle and buffalo carcasses slaughtered at El-Kharga abattoir, New Valley Governorate, Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  The slaughtered animals were daily inspected forSarcocystismacrocysts through a year (2015). MacroscopicSarcocystiswas detected from a total of 2120 cattle and buffalo carcasses. In addition, 100 meat samples were collected from female cattle and buffalo (50 each) and were examined microscopically for sarcocystosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall incidence ofSarcocystismacrocyst among bovine carcasses was 159/2120 (7.5%). Total incidence in cattle was 149/2000 (7.45%), whereas it was 10/120 (8.33%) in buffalo carcasses. Concerning gender, the overall prevalence ofSarcocystisinfection was 127/1790 (7.09%) in male and 32/330 (9.69%) in females bovine carcasses. The highest detection rate ofSarcocystislesions was from the esophagus (76.3%) followed by throat muscles (35.3%), tongue (33.8%), and diaphragm muscles (18.71%). Macrocysts from cattle were identified toSarcocystis hirsuta, whereasSarcocystis fusiformiswas identified from buffalo carcasses. By microscopic examination, 18 (36%) of 50 female cattle carcasses harborSarcocystissp., whereas 11 (22%) of buffalo carcasses were harboredSarcocystismicrocysts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high incidence ofSarcocystisinfection was detected among slaughtered bovines in El-Kharga abattoir, Egypt.Sarcocystismacrocysts were a higher incidence in female elder animals macrocysts were identified toS. hirsutain cattle andS. fusiformisin buffaloes. Sarcocystosis constitute a major cause of economic losses at El-Kharga abattoir. Beef meat may carry health risks to consumers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ali Meawad
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assuit University, New Valley, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nagwa Thabet
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Elshraway
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Hygiene and Zoonoses, Division of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed Ibrahim
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Youssef
keywords: Sarcocystis; Sarcocystis fusiformis; Sarcocystis hirsuta; bovine; meat