Prevalence and economic losses from livers condemnation infested by Fasciola hepatica at the slaughter plant of Pamplona, North of Santander, Colombia

Through a eighth-month descriptive, observational cross-sectional study, it was studied the presence and prevalence of Fasciola hepatica in the slaughter plant in Pamplona, Norte de Santander, Colombia. The presence of the parasite was determined using the post mortem macroscopic observation technique. In addition, the economic impact was calculated in dollars, taking into account the prevalence found and the cost of the liver in the market. This study involved 3,943 animals studied mostly from Northern zone of Department, 494 confiscation of different organs, from which 188 were livers apparently infected with F. hepatica with a prevalence of 4.7 % (95 % CI 4.1-5.4) P>0.05. In total, 1,069.25 kilograms (kg) of liver were confiscated due to the presence of lesions compatible with F. hepatica. The economic impact was determined using the average price of a kg of liver in the national market calculated at 3.7 USD.kg(-1), the total impact achieved was 15,033,636 pesos (3,956.22 USD). The sites where the highest number of confiscation were determined corresponded to the Municipalities of Pamplona, Pamplonita Toledo, Mutiscua, and Chitaga, which are mostly above 1,500 meters above sea level and which is directly related to the presence of the intermediate host of the studied parasite.