Prevalence of Hydatid Cysts in Slaughtered Animals from Different Areas of Libya

Abstract

The present study reports on the infection rates of hydatid cysts in both sexes and different age groups of sheep, camels and cattle from government abattoirs in different parts of Libya. An infection rate of 10.06% was recovered among 32,971 all ruminants (sheep, camels and cattle). Out 25314 of sheep, 2659 (10.52%) were infected. Out 7496 of camels, 940 (12.54%) were infected. Out 161 of cattle, 17 (10.56%) were infected. As regards to the infected organs, liver was seen to be the most commonly infected organ in sheep and cattle (46.03%; 52.94%, respectively), but in camels, it was the lung (55.21%). The fertility rates of hydatid cysts were 80% in sheep, 84% in camels and 0% in cattle. In sheep, the fertility rate of liver hydatid cysts was higher than that in other organs (53.85%), but in camels, the fertility rate in the lung was higher than that of other infected organs (66.7%). Thus, the incidence of echinococcosis in slaughtered livestock is noticeably high and denotes some hazards in control measures in Libyan abattoirs.