PREVALENCE OF DICROCOELIUM DENDRITICUM INFECTION IN SHEEP AT TAIF PROVINCE, WEST SAUDI ARABIA.

Dicrocoelium dendriticum is a common zoonotic parasite of sheep in many Regions of Saudi Arabia. In chronic infections, this parasite causes biliary cirrhosis in livers of cattle, sheep, or goats and leads to economic losses. This study compared the prevalence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum in local sheep and imported sheep in Taif Province, West Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional survey was carried out in slaughterhouses in Taif Province. A total 2230 local sheep and 21383 imported sheep were studied. The number of injury in imported sheep was observed as 99 representing 0.46% of the number of animals examined, while no record of any injury was observed in local sheep.