Sero-epidemiological study of Taenia saginata cysticercosis in Belgian cattle

A sero-epidemiological survey of Taenia saginata cysticercosis was carried out to determine the prevalence of the infection in cattle presented for sl aughter in Belgium. Between November 1997 and June 1998, a total of 1164 se rum samples were collected in 20 export abattoirs. Meat inspection was rout inely carried out by veterinary inspectors. Serum samples were examined for circulating parasite antigen using a monoclonal antibody-based sandwich en zyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (Ag-ELISA), Thirty six serum samples (3.09% ) were found positive in the Ag-ELISA, while by meat inspection on the same animals cysticerci were detected in only three carcasses (0.26%). Sere-pre valence was positively correlated with the age of the animals. The sere-pre valence found in this study was more than 10 times higher than the annual p revalence (0.26%) reported by the Institute for Veterinary Inspection. This study clearly indicates that the classical meat inspection techniques dete ct only a minor fraction of the carcasses infected with cysticerci. (C)2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.