Prevalence of hydatidosis and fertility of hydatid cysts in food animals in Northern Greece.

This study was conducted in order to determine the prevalence of hydatidosis due to Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato and the fertility rate of hydatid cysts in sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs slaughtered at the abattoir of Lagkada, in the Prefecture of Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. Lungs and livers from a total of 294 sheep (31.3% infected), 126 goats (8.7% infected), 372 cattle (4.8% infected), and 641 pigs (1.7% infected) were examined. The number of hydatid cysts found in infected sheep was 657 (58.3% fertile, 12.8% sterile, and 28.9% calcified cysts), in goats 54 (14.8% fertile, 38.9% sterile, and 46.3% calcified cysts), in cattle 108 (24.1% fertile, 50.0% sterile, and 25.9% calcified cysts) and in pigs 47 (10.6% fertile, 55.4% sterile, and 34.0% calcified cysts). Lung infection with hydatid cysts was higher (p<0.05) in sheep, goats, and cattle than in pigs (56.5%, 77.8% and 62.0% vs. 17.0%, respectively); while liver infection was lower (p<0.05) in sheep, goats, and cattle than in pigs (43.5%, 22.2% and 38.0% vs. 83.0%, respectively). Among the 4 species slaughtered for human consumption, sheep exhibited the highest frequency of hydatidosis and the highest proportion of fertile cysts.