OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF DICROCOELI UM-DENDRITICUM IN NORTH-WEST THURINGIA - A CONTRIBUTION TO THE EPIDEMIOLOGY AND TO THE MEAT HYGIENE RELEVANCE OF DICROCOELIOSIS

Results of meat inspection of more than 400.000 sheep slaughtered at t he former meat factory in Erfurt between 1981 and 1990 were analysed r egarding liverfluke infection. A map of the distribution of dicrocoeli osis in NW-Thuringia considering the prevalence was drawn. The examina tion of gall sediments from suitable for consumption assessed livers s howed that not all cases of dicrocoeliosis are recognizable by meat in spection. The saefety of meat inspection is decreasing in rising preva lences. Thickness and ectasia of gallducts as well as induration are t he most significant macroscopically visible pathological changes in li vers with dicrocoeliosis. 16 snail and 6 ant species known as intermed iate hosts of D. dendriticum were found at sheep pastures in NW-Thurin gia. Dicrocoelium development stages were present only in G. frumentum , B. fructicum, C. unifasciata, H. itala, H. obvia, E. strigella and F . pratensis.