The health status of pigs in North Cameroon

Abstract

A study was conducted to identify among other constraints pathological conditions affecting pig productivity and potential as a livestock subsector in the semiarid North Cameroon. Data were collected in three phases: a cross- sectional survey, a one-year monitoring of a cohort of selected herds and a one-year pork inspection. Results indicated that lousiness due to Haematopinus suis was the most common pathological condition with a herd prevalence above 50% during the monitoring phase and of 75.8% in a sample of 750 slaughtered pigs. Gastroenteritis prevalence was low (4%), but highly associated with piglet mortality. Pathological lesions of public health importance recorded during pork inspection were tuberculosis and cysticercosis lesions with prevalences of 33.2 and 12.3%, respectively. Indirect ELISA serological results on 150 samples were 98% negative for the African swine fever virus (ASF), suggesting that the region was ASF free. The region can thus be regarded as potentially suitable for the development of the country’s pig industry. Proper pork inspection and hygiene measures should be enforced to protect human health from infected meat.