| Summary: | Fasciolosis is considered as an emerging neglected tropical disease that is threatening
ruminant productivity and is zoonotic. In previous study, the Taiping abattoir showed the
highest fasciolosis occurrence compared to the other investigated main abattoirs in
Peninsular Malaysia, which could impede the government's initiatives to
promote ruminant production in the region. Therefore, this study intended to describe the
epidemiology of bovid fasciolosis in Larut and Matang (Taiping), Perak (LM) to initiate
the effort to control fasciolosis which could drive to economic loss. A total of 371 faecal
samples from bovid (dairy cattle, beef cattle, buffalo) from 23 selected farms were
examined in this cross-sectional study from February until August 2020. Animals and
farms detail were recorded, and a questionnaire has been completed by the farmers to
collect data of risk factors during the farm visit. The coproscopical examination of faecal
samples to record the Fasciola faecal egg count (fec) using FlukefinderÒ sedimentation
was performed and the co-infection with Paramphistomes was observed. The correlation
of Fasciola fec with Paramphistomes fec in co-infected bovids and also with Fasciola
coproantigen concentration were correlated using Spearman correlation test. Heatmap
density was used to interpolate the selected risk factors to visualise the fasciolosis
exposure areas in LM. For the result, overall prevalence of bovid fasciolosis in LM was
observed 36.9% (n=137/371). A total of 65.2% visited farms (n=15/23) having at least
one case of bovid fasciolosis. Significant risk factors (p<0.05) for bovid fasciolosis in
LM were buffalo (OR=9.5), bovid age more than three years (OR=5.5), body condition
score lower than 5 (OR=1.2-14.9), larger grazing range (OR=1.3), more than one
ruminant species in the farm (OR=2.0-2.1), extensive housing system (OR=4.0),
increasing farm age (OR=1.2), and co-infection with Paramphistomes (OR=1.4).
Fasciola and Paramphistomes fec in co-infected bovids was having a significant
moderate positive correlation (r=0.36, p<0.01). Besides, Fasciola fec to Fasciola
coproantigen concentration was also having significant moderate positive correlation
(r=0.55, p<0.01). The exposure areas to fasciolosis in this study showed higher exposure
in the northern LM compare to the central LM. Thereby, this study revealed moderate
prevalence of bovid fasciolosis in LM and factors of host intrinsic, farm management, and co-infection with Paramphistomes are significantly associated with bovid fasciolosis
in LM. The positive correlation of Fasciola and Paramphistomes in co-infected bovid
could provide the predictive basis for bovid fasciolosis from the Paramphistomes
occurrences. Besides, Fasciola coproantigen concentration could be useful in monitoring
Fasciola eggs shedding to initiate targeted treatment of fasciolosis, however need further
study for the application of coproantigen ELISA for this insight. The areas of high
fasciolosis exposure in LM is beneficial to conduct control programmes to sustain the
bovid production and welfare. The outcomes of this study are advantageous towards the
understanding of the epidemiology of local bovid fasciolosis which is important in
veterinary and public health.
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