SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Parasitology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1501940
Foodborne and Neglected Parasitic Zoonoses in Ethiopian Red Meat Animals: Insights from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Provisionally accepted
- University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
The most prevalent yet neglected cestode meat-borne parasitic zoonoses are bovine cysticercosis and cystic echinococcosis, while the most common meat-borne protozoan zoonoses are toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, bovine cysticercosis, cystic echinococcosis, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis are the most common but neglected meatborne parasites. The main transmission route is through contaminated meat products. The aim of this review was to provide an overall prevalence estimation of major food-borne zoonotic parasitic in ruminants in Ethiopia.The present meta-analysis was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and HINARI. A total of 104 eligible articles were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were conducted using random effect model, and heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistics.Toxoplasmosis had the highest pooled prevalence (38%, 95% CI: 30%-46%), followed by cystic echinococcosis (25%, 95% CI: 18%-32%), cryptosporidiosis (14%, 95% CI: 9%-19%), and bovine cysticercosis (9%, 95% CI: 5%-13%). In most individual analyses, Egger's regression test did not reveal significant publication bias, since the p-values were greater than 0.05. Regional subanalysis showed that bovine cysticercosis was most prevalent in the Amhara region (16%, 95% CI: 6%-13%), whereas cystic echinococcosis was highest in Oromia (33%, 95% CI: 22%-45%) and Tigray (29%, 95% CI: 24%-33%). Host-wise analysis indicated that toxoplasmosis was most prevalent in sheep (41%), followed by goats (39%) and cattle (28%). Cryptosporidiosis was most commonly detected in cattle (16%), sheep (11%), and goat (8%). Age-based analysis revealed a higher prevalence in calves and lambs with an estimated pooled prevalence of 15% (I² = 83%).The increasing prevalence of meat-borne parasitic zoonoses in Ethiopia highlights the need for urgent intervention. Strengthening disease surveillance, enforcing strict meat inspection protocols, and raising public awareness about zoonotic risks are critical for effective control. A coordinated approach between veterinary professionals, public health authorities, and policymakers is essential to mitigate the burden of these neglected parasitic infections and protect both animal and human health.
Keywords: Ethiopia, foodborne, parasite, Pooled prevalence, zoonosis
Received: 09 Oct 2024; Accepted: 24 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Fenta, Fenta, Bitew, Dejene and Kindy. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Melkie Dagnaw Fenta, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.