Livestock Hydatid Disease (Cystic Hydatidosis) in Libya: A review

Abstract

Cystic hydatid disease is an infection caused by the larval stage of a cestode parasite called Echinococcus granulosus. Hydatid cysts are one of the major parasitic infections in Libya that causes many health problems to human and responsible for economic losses because of the condemnation of the slaughtered animals infected viscera as well as reducing the quality and quantity of the livestock other productions such as milk, wool and meat. Many abattoir investigations in Libya have revealed that, cystic hydatidosis is a disease which infect a wide range of animal species with variable rates of infection, for example, sheep (1.6 to 40%), goats (5.6 to 70%), cattle (2.7 to 56%) and camels (2.7 to 48%). Based on the available abattoirs data, cystic echinococcosis in livestock can be classified as hyper endemic in the country as the infection rate in all animal species reached almost 50% or over which fulfill the WHO criteria. Because of the absence of accurate and updated government records in all abattoirs, it is difficult to estimate the exact economic losses due to cystic hydatidosis in livestock. Diagnosis of the parasite larval stage (hydatid disease) in the living intermediate hosts (ante mortem) is basically by using imaging and serological methods, while after slaughtering the animals (post mortem), the examination of hydatid cysts can be by inspection of several expected infected organs mainly liver and lungs and to some extent other organs including spleen, kidneys, heart, brain and bones of the animal carcasses. Prevention of cystic hydatid disease primarily focusing on veterinary investigations for controlling the extent and the intensity of echinococcosis in the definitive host populations, which indirectly may lead to control the prevalence of hydatid disease in the intermediate host animals. Treatment of cystic hydatidosis in livestock is still under investigation but anti-helminthes drugs can be used. Regular treatment, taking high degree of precautions when handling pets or dealing with animal meat must be taken into consideration to minimize the level of infection and egg excretion as well as the vaccination of ruminant intermediate hosts, are all in evaluation.

Cystic Echinococcosis among Livestock in Arabia Peninsula: A Systemic Review and Meta-analysis

“…Meta-analysis revealed that, the estimated pooled prevalence of CE among livestock in countries of Arabia Peninsula during a period of 21 years, from June 2000 to June 2021, was 13.4%(95% Cl:10.9-16.0). These results are in agreement with findings reported by Vaisi-Raygani et al [15] in Iran, who reported the pooled prevalence rate as 13.9% (95% CI: 10.7-17.7%), and lower than prevalence rate (53.5%) reported by Ibrahem et al [62] in Libya. The differences in the prevalence rate of CE among various studies could be due to climatic conditions, which could affect the viability of parasite's eggs, infected final hosts and livestock farming system in region and level of contact with dogs.…”

Pathological Findings in Cattle Slaughtered in Northeastern Algeria and Associated Risk Factors

“…This lesion corresponds to a larval, inoculable, non-contagious cestodosis common to humans and to various animal species. It is due to the development in the body (particularly in the liver or the lungs) of vesicular larvae of the Echinococcus type of parasites living in the adult state in the small intestine of carnivores [ 11 ]. There are various species; the most important being Echinococcus granulosus .…”

Incidence and the history of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs within the past few decades in Libya: A review

“…Untreated water from sources such as lakes may also contain Echinococcus eggs and should therefore, be avoided. Unfortunately, over the past decades, there has been no CE control programme in Libya, but the high incidence of the disease in humans (1.4 to 2%) (Shambesh et al, 1999), and the high prevalence of hydatidosis in livestock, which has been reported to be 1.6 to 40% in sheep, 5.6 to 70% in goats, 2.7 to 56% in cattle, and 2.7 to 48% in camels (Ibrahem et al, 2016), suggests the need for an extensive control programme.…”