Prevalence of Fasciolosis and Dicrocoeliosis in Slaughtered Cattle and Sheep in Siirt Province, Türkiye: A Comparison of Coprological and Postmortem Findings
by
, ,
Muhammed Yasul
1,*,
Milad Afşar
2,
Ali Bilgin Yilmaz
3,
Muhammed Ahmed Selcuk
4,
Mahsa Torkamanian-Afshar
5 and
Hasan Yilmaz
2 1
Home Health Care Program, Health Care Services Department, Bartın University School of Health Services, Bartın 74100, Turkey
2
Division of Medical Parasitology, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Tuşba, Van 65080, Turkey
3
Faculty of Health Sciences, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Tuşba, Van 65080, Turkey
4
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Siirt University, Siirt 56100, Turkey
5
Software Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, İstanbul Topkapı University, Istanbul 34020, Turkey
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(8), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13080738
Submission received: 10 June 2026
/
Revised: 22 July 2026
/
Accepted: 22 July 2026
/
Published: 25 July 2026
(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Infectious and Parasitic Diseases of Animals)
Simple Summary
Liver flukes are parasitic worms that infect the livers of cattle and sheep, causing health problems in animals and reducing meat and milk production. Some of these parasites can also infect humans. This study examined the prevalence of these infections in cattle and sheep in the Siirt region of Türkiye. The researchers examined feces and livers from slaughtered animals to detect the parasites. They found that more than 33% of cattle and 20% of sheep had liver fluke infections. Cattle were more likely to be infected than sheep, and older cattle had higher infection values than younger ones. Among sheep, one breed (Akkaraman) was more infected than another (Morkaraman). The study also revealed that coprological examination alone frequently underestimates infection values, particularly for Dicrocoelium dendriticum. This limitation is mainly attributed to the small size of D. dendriticum eggs, which makes them highly prone to loss during routine sedimentation procedures. Because Fasciola spp. can also infect humans, local residents should avoid consuming raw aquatic plants such as watercress. These findings can help veterinarians and public health officials design more effective strategies to control liver fluke infections in the region.
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the liver trematodes Fasciola spp. and Dicrocoelium dendriticum in cattle and sheep slaughtered in Siirt Province using fecal sedimentation and postmortem liver examination to compare their detection performance, and to estimate the sensitivity of fecal sedimentation relative to postmortem examination. A total of 2211 animals, comprising 374 cattle and 1837 sheep, slaughtered during the study period, were included in the study. Fecal samples were collected rectally before slaughter, and after slaughter, the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts were examined macroscopically. Fecal samples were analyzed using sedimentation; postmortem examination was the reference method. Based on postmortem examination, Fasciola spp. and D. dendriticum were detected in 26.2% (98/374) and 7.2% (27/374) of cattle, and in 14.8% (271/1837) and 5.9% (108/1837) of sheep, respectively. Fecal examination detected significantly fewer infections for both parasites in both hosts (McNemar test, p < 0.001 for all comparisons). The sensitivity of fecal sedimentation was 80.6% for Fasciola spp. and 29.6% for D. dendriticum in cattle, and 86.7% and 73.1%, respectively, in sheep. The prevalence of Fasciola spp. was significantly higher in cattle than in sheep (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.58–2.67; p < 0.001), whereas the difference in D. dendriticum prevalence between cattle and sheep was not statistically significant (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.80–1.92; p = 0.274). In cattle, age older than two years was significantly associated with Fasciola spp. (adjusted OR = 15.82, 95% CI: 8.12–30.84; p < 0.001) and D. dendriticum infection (adjusted OR = 3.29, 95% CI: 1.36–7.96; p = 0.008). In sheep, the Morkaraman breed had lower odds of Fasciola spp. infection (adjusted OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.32–0.56; p < 0.001) and D. dendriticum infection (adjusted OR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.14–0.38; p < 0.001) than the Akkaraman breed, while age was significantly associated only with D. dendriticum infection (adjusted OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.25–2.71; p = 0.002). These findings demonstrate that liver trematode infections were common among slaughtered animals in Siirt. Reliance on fecal sedimentation may considerably underestimate prevalence, particularly for D. dendriticum in cattle. Age- and breed-related associations should be considered in surveillance and control programs. From a public health perspective, awareness of zoonotic fasciolosis and risks associated with consuming raw aquatic plants from potentially contaminated areas should be increased.
