Taeniid infection of dogs in Zaria Nigeria.

Diagnostic work carried out over a sixty month period (1978-1982) showed that out of 4211 faecal and intestinal content samples, 522 (12.40%) carried cestode infection. Taeniid infection formed 75.86% (396) of this number. Out of ten bovine species posted, one had sterile hydatid cyst of the lung. Twenty-eight ovine samples were analysed out of which one had fertile hydatid cyst of the lung, three had Cysticercus tenuicollis and one had Moniezia expansa. Only one of the 21 caprine species posted had Cysticercus tenuicollis. The incidence of 9.40% (369 out of 4211) taeniid infection in dogs in and around Zaria strongly suggests the possibility of high level unconfirmed hydatidosis in domestic animals and man in the study area.