A Retrospective Study on Bovine Fascioliasis in Veterinary Regional Laboratories in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

This is a retrospective study on bovine fascioliasis infection on cattle in Peninsular Malaysia, spanning from January 2007 to December 2017. Cattle were diagnosed with Fasciola based on the fecal examination and the results were reported to the Veterinary Regional Laboratories in Peninsular Malaysia. These records were analysed for the occurrence of bovine fascioliasis within that 11-year period. Records of annual diagnostic cases from five major Veterinary Regional Laboratories were examined: Bukit Tengah, Pulau Pinang (north); Kuantan, Pahang (east); Johor Bahru, Johor (south); Sepang, Selangor (west); and Kota Bharu, Kelantan (east). A positive fascioliasis infestation was calculated based on a number of positively infected cattle with Fasciola from a number of cattle examined. A total of 1988 cattle were examined during this period and 35 (1.76%) cattle were reported to be positive for bovine fascioliasis. Parasite infection was the highest at Bukit Tengah region (5.55%) where 19 cases were positive from 342 reported cases while, at Kuantan (4.96%), 15 positive cases were reported, unlike Johor Bahru (0.09%), with only 1 positive case from 1136 cattle examined. Sepang and Kelantan had no positive cases. These results showed that bovine fascioliasis was generally prevalent in the northern and southeast parts of the Peninsular Malaysia; however, there was no significant relationship between the region and the occurrence of fascioliasis.

The First Report of Ruminant Fascioliasis in Sabah, East Malaysia

“…The occurrence of fascioliasis among ruminants recorded in MDVKK was found to be higher as compared to the recent study conducted by Diyana et al [5] in five main Veterinary Regional Laboratories in Peninsular Malaysia, which was 1.76% (35/1,988). The higher occurrence of fascioliasis can be attributed to the fact that Sabah climatically favours the survival of the intermediate host.…”

“…While in the East Coast region of WM, the first surveys in six large ruminant farms showed a ruminant fascioliasis of 67% [ 4 ]. While a retrospective study in WM involving analysis of a ten-year data from regional laboratories from main veterinary laboratories highlighted the northern part of WM is at higher risk [ 5 ]. Although Fasciola has been identified significantly in WM, no concerted efforts have been made to study this parasite in East Malaysia, despite Sabah being notified with human Fasciola in Tuaran [ 6 ].…”

Fascioliasis

“…The public health risk with Fascioliasis among people was estimated to be about 17 million cases worldwide (Mas-Coma et al 2009a), and up to 180 million at risk of infection (Mas-Coma et al, 2018). The global increase in human fascioliasis prevalence rates are greatly correlated with a high proportion of infected ruminant hosts (Ashrafi et al 2014;Diyana et al 2019). Flukes of the genus Fasciola has complex life cycle.…”

Prevalence of Amphistomes and Fasciola in large ruminants reared by smallholders in Lampung and Banten Provinces, Indonesia

“…Available at www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.16/October-2023/12.pdf Amphistomes and Fasciola require two hosts to complete their life cycle: A definitive mammalian host and an intermediate snail host [13][14][15]. The prevalence of trematodes in ruminants is linked to the presence of snail intermediate hosts in the area [11,13]. Invasion occurs when animals ingest grass and water containing metacercaria [11,14].…”