PATHOLOGY ASSOCIATED WITH BOVINE LIVER AT AMOSUN CENTRAL ABATTOIR, AKINYELE IBADAN OYO STATE
Abstract
Bovine liver pathologies represent a significant cause of economic loss in the livestock industry and pose a serious threat to public health due to their zoonotic potential. This study assessed the prevalence, gross, and histopathological features of liver lesions in cattle slaughtered at Amosun Central Abattoir, Akinyele, Ibadan, Nigeria. A combination of a three-year retrospective data review and a two-month prospective active abattoir survey was conducted. During the prospective study, liver samples exhibiting gross pathological changes were collected, processed, and analyzed using standard histopathological techniques. The study revealed a high prevalence of liver pathologies, with fasciolosis identified as the primary cause, accounting for a significant majority of condemned organs. Gross pathological findings included multifocal cream-colored nodules, markedly enlarged hepatic lymph nodes, firm livers with patches of fibrosis, thickened bile ducts ("pipestem liver"), and the presence of adult Fasciola hepatica flukes.
Histopathological analysis confirmed these observations, revealing chronic cholangitis, periportal hepatitis, marked expansion of portal tracts by dense fibrous connective tissue, proliferating bile ductules, mononuclear cellular infiltration, and bridging fibrosis. The findings demonstrate that chronic fasciolosis is endemic in cattle presented for slaughter in Ibadan, leading to substantial economic losses through organ condemnation and reduced productivity, while also presenting a confirmed zoonotic risk. The study concludes by underscoring the urgent need for integrated control measures, including regular strategic anthelmintic treatment, farmer education on pasture management, effective snail control programs, and the strengthening of veterinary inspection services at abattoirs to safeguard animal and public health.
Keywords: Bovine liver, Pathology, Fasciolosis, Prevalence, Histopathology, Zoonosis, Abattoir, Nigeria.
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