ABSTRACT
Studied were with a naked eye a total of 8185 carcasses of adult sheep and weaned lambs slaughtered at the abattoirs of Bourgas and Yambol at the age of one year as well as 1783 heads, 1054 hearts, and 468 gullets of weaned lambs for the presence of macroscopically seen sarcocysts. The animals originated from more than 50 communities in the districts of Bourgas and Yambol. The parasite burden was investigated in 1291 sheep carcasses (without heads and viscera). The percent of animals infected with sarcocysts was found to be 95.75 (carcasses) and 63.10 (heads). N cysts were established in the heart muscle. 56.98 per cent of the sheep carcasses were infected with one to 10 cysts, 36.55 per cent - with 11 to 50 cysts, 4.86 per cent - with 51 to 100, 1.17 per cent - with 101 to 200 cysts, and 0.16 per cent - with more than 200 cysts. It was found that the greater part of the sheep carcasses presented sarcocysts both on the outer and on the inner (abdomen and thorax) surface. The parasite burden was more substantial inside the carcasses. Cysts were likewise observed throughout the carcasses, showing no strict localization. Weaned lambs slaughtered at the age of up to one year presented no sarcocysts seen with a naked eye. The necessity is stressed of more strict regulations of meat inspection, resp., hygiene evaluation of carcasses with view establishing sarcosporidia.