The monetary losses associated with hydatidosis in slaughtered ruminants in Turkey

Hydatid cyst is an infection caused by the larval form of Echinococcus granulosus and is spread worldwide. The definitive host of E. granulosus are carnivorous, while herbivorous species such as sheep, goat, cattle, camel, horse, donkey and humans are its intermediate hosts (Díaz, 2017).

Hydatid cyst causes direct economic losses due to extermination of edible internal organs such as liver, lungs, kidneys, spleen and heart, and indirect financial losses through the reduction in carcasses yield and milk production as well as fecundity (Agudelo-Higuita, 2016). Although Hydatidosis occur worldwide except for Antarctica, its prevalence varies from country to country. According to the World Health Organization report, 2 – 3 million Cystic Echinococcosis cases are reported annually in humans (World, 2015). Numerous studies on the prevalence of Hydatidosis among ruminants have been published. Hydatidosis in Persia was determined at the following levels, 15 – 10 % for cattle, 20 – 30 % for sheep, and 4 – 5 % for goats (Ghasemian et al., 2018). In Pakistan it was reported as 15.79 % in cattle, 15.38 % in sheep and 3.25 % in goats, while it was found to be 8 % in sheep was and 1 % in cattle slaughtered in Iraq (Halem et al., 2018; Mohammed, 2021). The prevalence of Hydatidosis in cattle was reported at 18.2 % in India; 62.6 % in sheep and 28.9 % in goat slaughtered in Italy (Bosco et al., 2021; Moudgil, 2021).

Hidatidosis is a very important parasitic disease causing economic losses throughout the world, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries. Monetary losses due to hydatid cyst have been reported as US$ 561,112 in Wales (Togerson & Dowling, 2001) US$ 472,200 in Uruguay (Togerson et al., 2000), 212.35 million USD in India (Singh et al., 2014) and US$ 141.605,195 in the USA (Budke, 2006).

The parasitic zoonotic disease is very important worldwide, especially in underdeveloped and developing countries (Asia, Mediterranean, and Middle East countries) such as Turkey. Globally, an annual livestock production loss of at least US $141,6 million and possibly up to the $2,2 billion is estimated due to cystic echinococcosis

The main aim of the current study, was to determine the prevalence of hydatidosis in cattle, sheep and goats slaughtered in Turkey in 2020, compare the distribution of hydatid cysts in livestock organs depending on species, sex and regions as well as to estimate the economic losses associated with hydatidosis from slaughtered livestock in Turkey.

The retrospective data on the hydatid cyst occurence observed on organs such as the liver of slaughtered cattle, sheep, and goats were obtained utilizing data mining procedure from the annual livestock slaughter records in Turkey’s Livestock Information System of 2020. The distribution of hydatid cysts in various organs among slaughtered animals in different cities and regions was determined. The estimation of direct economic losses due to condemnations of edible internal organs such as liver, lung and heart were computed using the following formula described by Umur (2003).

DL= N x W x V

DL: Direct losses due to of the organ for the considered species in the USD.

N: Number of the organ with hydatid cyst for the considered species

W: Mean weight of the organ for the considered species

V: The organ’s current market value for the considered species in USD.

Table 1. The financial parameters used in the analysis

Indirect economic losses arising from the reduction of carcass production milk yield and fecundity were estimated using the following formula described by Benner et al. (2010).

IL_C: N x P x Y x Rx V

Where

IL_C: Indirect economic losses arising from reduction of carcass production (US$)

N: Number of the animal slaughtered or milked (Anonymous, 2021b)

P: Prevalence of hydatid cyst

Y: Mean annual carcass weight (kg) or milk yield per animal

R: Reduction in carcass weight (%) or milk yield

V: Current value of carcass or milk in US$/kg

The mean weight of carcass was 270 kg for cattle, 30 kg for sheep and goats. Meanwhile, reduction of carcass weight has been reported as 1.1 % (Umur, 2003). The mean value of carcass was taken 5.7 US$/Kg for cattle and 8 US$/Kg for sheep and goats (Anonymous, 2021a).

The mean milk yield was 9000 L for cattle, 100 L for sheep and goats. Reduction of milk weight determined 2.5 % (Benner, 2010). The mean market value of milk was taken 0.33 US$/l for cattle and 0.74 US$/l for sheep and goats (Anonymous, 2021a).

Calculating for fecundity production losses: The number of mean calves born annual (Anonymous, 2021b) X The prevalence of hydatid cyst X reduction in born calves percent X current market value of calves (US$) (Anonymous, 2021c).

The reduction in the birth rate was assumed as 5.5 % and the mean value of calves, lambs and kids was estimated to be 500 USD, 83.2 US$ and 83.2 USD, respectively (Anonymous, 2021a). Estimated economic losses were calculated on market prices for 2020.

The results calculated in TL (Turkish lira) have been converted to US dollars (USD) at the exchange rate of 1 US$ = 6.034 TL

The present study used the statistical package with the Social Sciences for Windows 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). A P <0.05 was considered significant.

We had no conflict of interest to declare during the study. Since this study used retrospective data, no approval from the ethics committee was necessary.

Hydatid cyst(s) was found in 1,290 (0.124 %) out of 1,037,872 slaughtered cattle, 320 (0.030 %) out of 1,051,648 slaughtered small ruminants, and 1610 (0.077 %) out of all the 2089520 slaughtered animals (cattle, shoats) in Turkey during the period under study. The highest prevalence of the infection was recorded in Central Anatolia Region (0.164 %); meanwhile the lowest was observed in the Southeastern Anatolia Region (0.007 %) (Table 2). The prevalence of hydatid cysts in slaughtered livestock in different provinces are presented in detail in Table 3.

The total monetary loss associated with hydatid cysts in Turkey in 2020 was estimated at 565.448 USD; the direct financial losses were estimated at 98.558 USD, while indirect economic losses were estimated at 466.891 USD (Table 4).

Hydatid cyst is a common infection, particularly in rural areas globally. Boga, (2012) reported the prevalence of hydatid cyst in cattle (2.7 – 69.5 %), sheep (1.83 – 79.6 %), and goats (1.6 – 74.4 %) in Turkey. The prevalence of hydatid cyst assessed in this study among cattle (0.124 %) and sheep (0.030 %) was found to be lower than those reported in previous studies as 4.4 % in cattle and 6.36 % in sheep Karaman et al. (2015), 25 % in sheep and 3 % in cattle Düzlü et al. (2010), 15.63 % in cattle Erol et al. (2021). This decreasing may be explained from regularly used antiparasitic drugs. On the other hand because of regulations on animal well-fare stray dogs are regularly controlled and treated against parasites. These measurements reduces the discharge of echinococcus eggs and contamination risks of ruminant intermediate hosts. The prevalence of Hydatidosis in cattle was reported at 18.2 % in India; 62.6 % in sheep and 28.9 % in goat slaughtered in Italy (Bosco et al., 2021; Moudgil, 2021).

The lowest prevalence of hydatid cyst was found in Muğla province (Acıöz et al., 2021) (0.21 %) and its highest prevalence was observed in Erzurum province (70.91 %) in Turkey (Arslan & Umur, 1997). Concerning the regions, the lowest prevalence of hydatid cyst was observed in Southeastern Anatolia Region (0.007 %), and the highest was in the Central Anatolia Region (0.164 %). These differences in hydatid cyst prevalences among geographical regions of Turkey can be attributed to differences in geographical, climate conditions and animal breeding systems that reduce the viability of eggs. Because contact with parasites in closed production systems is limited a lower prevalence of hydatid cyst is expected in animals raised in closed systems.

Monetary losses due to hydatid cyst have been reported in various regions of the world and within Turkey as follows; 58114.62 USD in Ethiopia (Guduro et al., 2019), 152,003 USD in Kenya (Kere et al., 2019), 232.3 million USD in Iran (Farisi-Harandi et al., 2012), US$ 73 million in Morocco (Saadi et al., 2020), in Iraq US$ 72.470 (Abdulhameed et al., 2018), US$ 141.605,195 in the USA (Budke, 2006), 15.532.242 EURO in Spain (Benner, 2010). Numerous studies considering the economic loss arising from hydatid cysts in Turkey have been conducted. In these studies the economic losses were estimated as US$ 583/year in Burdur (Umur, 2003), TL₺ 3320/year in Erzurum (Balkaya & Şimşek, 2010), US$ 31372/year in Kayseri (Düzlü et al., 2010), US$ 7708/year in Kars (Demir & Mor, 2011), US$ 12.321/year in Bursa (Yıbar et al., 2015) and US$ 89.2 million/year in Turkey (Sarıözkan & Yalçın, 2009). In this current study, the financial losses due to Hydatidosis in Turkey was estimated at 565.448 USD. These differences in monetary losses could be associated with the methodology used in different studies, different geographical locations, different animal husbandry practices, study duration and the sample size used in different studies.

Livestock production in Turkey plays an important place in gross domestic production. Although Turkey possesses enough animal quantities, the mean yield per animal is low compared to those in developed countries. Hydatid cyst is one of the critical causes of yield reduction from animal husbandry in Turkey. This infection decreases the potential of animal production in Turkey and causes direct monetary losses due to condemnation of edible internal livestock organs such as the liver, lungs, kidneys, spleen during meat inspection. Besides, indirect losses such as carcass, milk, and fecundity reduction also occur as a result of this zoonosis.

The results of the current study show a significant decrease in the prevalence of Hydatidosis in Turkey however the monetary loss associated with the zoonosis per year is significant in a growing economy like Turkey and a considerable deprivation of proteins in the diet of the households due to condemnation of edible offals at meat inspection.