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Abstract

The liver is the largest internal organ in the body and is considered a nutritious food because it contains iron, copper, and several vitamins. In Afghanistan, the livers of cattle and other livestock are widely consumed as a palatable food. Due to its strategic anatomical location and diverse physiological functions, the liver is susceptible to various diseases, some of which may also have zoonotic potential. Since no accurate and comprehensive study has been conducted in Afghanistan on pathological changes in the livers of food-producing animals, particularly cattle brought for slaughter, the present study was undertaken. This cross-sectional study examined the livers of 450 cattle brought for slaughter at the Emirati Slaughterhouse in Kabul City during Eid al-Adha in 2024. The findings showed that cysts (6.2%), abscesses (2.2%), and thickening of the bile ducts (4.7%) were the major pathological changes observed in the livers of the examined cattle. Among these pathological changes, cysts—particularly hydatid cysts—are fortunately not usually transmitted to humans through the consumption of infected liver. However, the bacterial agents associated with hepatic abscesses may pose a potential risk of transmission to humans, particularly when proper food hygiene practices are not followed. Overall, the findings indicated that most hepatic pathological changes occurred at relatively low frequencies, while severe and advanced pathological lesions were comparatively uncommon.

Keywords

Liver Cattle Pathological Changes Cyst Slaughterhause Kabul

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Copyright (c) 2026 Kabul University

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Sangary, M., & Hakimi , Z. (2026). Investigation of Macroscopic Liver Pathological Changes in Slaughtered Cattle at the Emirati Slaughterhouse of Kabul Province. Journal of Natural Sciences – Kabul University, 9(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.62810/jns.v9i2.592
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