Histological And Physicochemical Evaluation Of Sheep Organs And Meat Infected With Hydatid Cysts In Kerbala City

Abstract

A histological and physicochemical study was conducted to evaluate the effects of hydatid cyst infection on sheep meat and organs. Ten carcasses were collected from a slaughterhouse in Kerbala, and samples from the liver, lungs, mesentery, and muscle were examined. Meat quality parameters including pH, moisture content, protein content, ash content, and water activity (aw) were measured, and histological changes were observed to assess the impact of infection. A total of ten hydatid cysts were collected from various infected organs, with the liver being the most commonly affected (5/10), followed by the lungs (3/10) and mesentery (2/10). Single cysts were identified in five cases (three in the liver, one in the lung, and one in the mesentery), while multiple cysts were observed in the remaining five cases (two in the liver, two in the lungs, and one in the mesentery). Histological examination revealed degeneration and inflammatory changes in infected tissues, and significant alterations in meat parameters were detected when compared with healthy controls. These findings indicate that hydatid cyst infection can significantly affect both the histological structure and quality characteristics of sheep meat.