An epidemiological Study of Cystic Echinococcousis among Animals intermediated host inThi-Qar Province, Iraq

Abstract

Cystic hydatid disease is a significant global health concern and a hazardous obstacle for public health and the livestock industry. The present investigation is aimed to determine the prevalence of hydatid cysts and economic losses in slaughtered animals (sheep, cattle, buffalo and camel) in Thi-Qar province, south of Iraq. This research was carried out from the beginning of February 2022 to the end of January 2023. The study focused on the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in slaughtered animals from the central slaughterhouse of Nasiriyah city. The total cases (8847) were examined and the proportion of infection of hydatid cysts was: out of 2792 of examined sheep, 343 (12.29%) were infected, out 3209 of examined cattle, 288 (8.97.%) were infected, out of 1865 of examined buffalo 154 (8.26 %) were infected and out 980 of examined camels, 40 (4.08%) were infected. Among the infected animals in the Al-Nasiriyah abattoir, sheep recorded the highest prevalence, while camel abattoir recorded the lowest prevalence among other animals intermediate hosts. The incidence of hydatid cysts has a positive proportion to the age of animals. Regarding organ involvements, the liver and lungs were the most infected organs, the liver had a higher prevalence than the lung with infection rates of 62.3 % and 37.70% respectively. Females of sheep, cattle, buffalo, and camel were statistically higher than males, and were significant differences between the severity of infection and sex of hosts at (P≤ 0.05). Sheep was the highest fertility with 84.26%, this attributed to the sheep strains in this region have a higher morbidity rate compared to other regions.