Prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of bovine cysticercosis (Cysticercus bovis) in cattle in Palestine: a slaughterhouse-based study (2018-2025).

Bovine cysticercosis, caused by the larval stage of Taenia saginata (Goeze, 1782) (Cysticercus bovis), is a zoonotic infection. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of C. bovis in cattle slaughtered in Palestine and assess its epidemiological and public health implications. A retrospective case series was conducted from 2018 to 2025 at Al-Bireh Central Municipal Slaughterhouse in Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate. Routine and standardized antemortem and post-mortem meat inspection records were extracted for cattle slaughtered during the study period. Seventeen cases of C. bovis infection were identified, corresponding to an overall prevalence of 0.026% (17/65,775) (95% CI: 0.015-0.041%). Infection was detected in 4 locally raised cattle (0.015%) and 13 imported cattle (0.033%). The cardiac muscle was the most frequently affected site (70.6%), followed by the diaphragm/thoracic musculature (17.6%) and masseter muscles (17.6%). The majority of cysts were viable (76.5%), and carcasses with localized viable cysts were subjected to freezing treatment, whereas those with multiple viable cysts were totally condemned. The detection of C. bovis in both locally raised and imported cattle indicates the continued circulation of T. saginata within the Palestinian ecosystem. Although the overall prevalence was low, the predominance of viable cysts and the detection of infections in local calves suggest ongoing environmental contamination and potential endemic transmission. Strengthening slaughterhouse surveillance, improving sanitation infrastructure, and integrating molecular epidemiological approaches within a One Health framework are essential for improving detection and control.