Background and Aim: Bovine cysticercosis and human taeniasis accounted for parasitic zoonotic implications with economic losses from organ contamination and treatment cost. The disease is common where hygienic conditions are poor and the inhabitants traditionally eat raw or insufficiently cooked meat under inadequate community awareness on the associated risk factors for the occurrences of infections in developing countries such as Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess bovine cysticercosis and Taenia saginata human taeniasis considering animal-human health and economic approach with treatment trends in Kombolcha Town, Wollo, Ethiopia.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in cattle slaughtered at Kombolcha ELFORA abattoir from November 2016 to April 2017. A questionnaire survey was applied for community awareness, exposure risk, and treatment trends for taeniasis assessment in Kombolcha Town with economic losses from organ condemnation, and drug cost for taeniasis treatments were estimated.

Results: Of the 234 examined carcasses, 21 (8.97%) were found infected with bovine cysticercosis. Organ distribution of the cysts showed highest proportions in liver 40 (29.2%), followed by heart 26 (18.9%), tongue 22 (16.1%), masseter muscle 20 (14.6%), triceps 15 (10.9%), diaphragm 9 (6.7%), and lung 5 (3.6%). Both male, i.e., 15 (6.4%), and female, i.e., 6 (12.8%), were infected. Regardless of sample size, Cysticercus bovis infection was found 8 (21.62%) in adults and 13 (6.60%) older aged. Of 110 interviewed individuals, about 31.8% aware of taeniasis and they also have exposure risk for taeniasis with no differences (p>0.05) within studied demography. The majorities (54.3%) of exposed groups use pharmaceutical drugs, while 28.6% use herbal medicine, but 17.2% use both for treatment. Of 31,469 clinical cases in Kombolcha Town, 22 (0.07%) were positive for taeniasis over the year 2016. An inventory of pharmaceutical shops revealed the supply of 6998 adult taenicidal drug doses for a cost of 19,621.00 Ethiopian Birr (ETB) where mebendazole and albendazole were the most frequent. A total annual economic loss of 1,841,311.00 ETB (73,652.44 USD) consisting of 1,831,890.00 ETB from organ condemnation and 19,421.00 ETB from taenicidal drug cost was estimated.

Conclusion: The present finding indicates the need for community awareness creation regarding the disease condition, associated risk factors, and application of environmental hygiene which could bring a paramount reduction of diseases in human and beef industry which prevent the associated economic loss.

Keywords: abattoir, Cysticercus bovis, economic loss, Ethiopia, Kombolcha, taeniasis.

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