Tuberculosis in sheep and goats : pathological characteristics based on abattoir study in south Darfur State, Sudan

Abstract EN

The status of tuberculosis in Sudanese goats and sheep has not been studied yet; hence this study was designed to investigate the prevalence and pathological characteristics of tuberculosis in small ruminants in South Darfur State during the period October 2015 to February 2017.

Slaughtered goats (3200) and sheep (3260) were examined for pathological tubercle lesions and histopathological changes.

Grossly, tubercle like lesions which appearance as embedded in the parenchyma or bulging on surface of organs and tissues in variable sizes with white colour were observed in 119 (3.72%) goats and 93 (2.85%) sheep.

Histopathological examination showed central caseous necrosis with or without calcified areas surrounded by epithelioid cells and langhan's giant cells with fibrous capsule infiltrated by lymphocytes and plasma cells with or without scattered acid fast bacilli in the granulomatous regions.

Our findings indicate that presence of tuberculosis in the Sudanese goats and sheep, and Ambboror sheep and Baggara goats were the reservoirs of tuberculosis among the livestock in the region and and respiratory pathway was the most site of infection in goats and sheep.

Therefore, proper implementation of meat inspection procedures at abattoir with public awareness are important to control tuberculosis in South Darfur State.

In addition, large scale surveillance is needed in different parts of the Sudan to estimate the apparent and true prevalence of tuberculosis among animals and animal workers.