Valutazione del rischio parassitologico nei sottoprodotti di origine animale per la realizzazione di alimenti funzionali e BARF per pets

The aim of the study is to assess the level of infestation of sheep and cattle by-products (SOA) in different slaughterhouses on the island using direct parasitological methods. The study took place from March 2021 to July 2023 and involved 672 sheep and 503 cattle slaughtered in seven different slaughterhouses in Sardinia. Hydatids of Echinococcus granulosus were found in 67.7% of the examined sheep (455/672). The presence of hydatids varied depending on the organ examined and showed a significantly higher prevalence in the liver (54.8%; 368/672) than in the lungs (49.1%; 330/672) (χ 2 = 4.304; P = 0.038). The metacestode Cysticercus tenuicollis was found in 2.4% of the animals examined (16/672). As for liver flukes, Fasciola hepatica was found in 2.1% (14/672) of the examined animals, while Dicrocoelium dendriticum was found in 14.7% (99/672) of the examined animals (χ2 = 69.807; P < 0.001). Lesions attributable to bronchopulmonary nematodes were found in 32.4% (218/672) of the lungs examined. 27.7% (82/296) of the oesophagi examined had macroscopic cysts of Sarcocystis spp. Echinococcus granulosus hydatids were found in 2.0% of the examined cattle (10/503), with a significantly higher prevalence in the lungs (1.8%; 9/503) than in the liver (0.2%; 1/503) (χ2 = 4.304; P < 0.05). No organ tested positive for Dicrocoelium dendriticum, while Fasciola hepatica was found in 2 of the livers analysed (0.4%). Overall, bronchopulmonary nematodes were detected in 44.8% (192/431) of the 431 cattle analysed. 2.adult specimens of Dictyocaulus filaria were detected in 1% (9/431) of the animals. In the parasitological examination using the Baermann technique, first-stage larvae of protostrongylids were detected in 42.7% of the lungs examined. Our data show how important it is for pet owners to be aware of the possibility of exposure and environmental contamination through the raw feeding of pets. Raw meat can in fact harbor larval stages of parasites that dogs and cats can find as final hosts to complete their life cycle (adult stage parasites), jeopardizing human and animal health (Ahmed et al. 2021).