Prevalence of Cystic Echinococcosis in Slaughtered Ruminants in Different Abattoirs, Upper Egypt

Abstract

Hydatid disease is a re-emerging disease that infects human and animals world-wide. Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is the most common form of the disease. In Egypt, CE is an endemic disease and several reports have indicated an increasing prevalence rate of the CE infection in animals and humans in the last few years. The aim of the current study is to determine the prevalence rate and other epidemiological factors in the infecting of ruminants with CE in different locations in Upper Egypt. The data gathered shows that of 4,498 animals examined, 89 (1.97%) had the hydatid cyst. Sheep were the most affected animal species (14.1%), then goats (13%), camels (5%) and cattle (0.068%), while buffaloes were free from infection. A higher percentage were affected in the liver (39.3%) than in the lungs (32.5%) and other viscera (2.2%), while 25.8% were affected in both the liver and the lungs The general fertility rate of cysts examined was 27.71%; cysts of camel origin were the most fertile (66.6%), followed by those of goats (29.41%) and sheep (15.51%); that of cattle was 0%. The current study provides current data about the status of CE infection in ruminants in Upper Egypt that will aid further studies and enable more precise planning for effective control strategies.