Seroprevalence of Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle and sheep in the province of Kars, Turkey, as determined by ELISA

This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle and sheep in the province of Kars, Turkey. Serum samples from 500 cattle and 540 sheep, collected from 15 randomly selected localities (villages) in the region, were tested for the presence of anti-F. hepatica antibodies using an in-house ELISA test with 98 % sensitivity and 96 % specificity. The seroprevalence of F. hepatica in the district was determined to be 66.6 % (333/500) in cattle and 93 % (502/540) in sheep. There was also a statistically significant difference in the rates of seropositivity between villages (each of which could be considered to be a large herd or flock), ranging from 0 % to 100 % in cattle and from 68 % to 100 % in sheep, P < 0.01). These findings show that F. hepatica infection is very common in the region; that, in contrast to results from abattoir which indicate a level of only 10 % prevalence, the exposure of farm animals to the infection in the region is in fact very high; and that the risk of acquiring the infection varies between the localities and the host species tested within the region.