Cystic hydatidosis in Ethiopia: a review

Abstract

Cystic echinococcosis is a cestode infection caused by the larval stage of Echinocococcus granulosus. It is an important zonoses, as humans get infected by ingesting eggs passed in the feces of dogs, and important cause of economic loss mainly due to organ condemnation and reducing the quality of meat, milk, and wool production. Hydatidosis is prevalent in cattle and small ruminant population of Ethiopia in a range of 3.1% to 72.44%. The prevalence rate reaches up to 30.8% in camels and 25% in dogs. Very few retrospective and case reports of cystic human hydatidosis also indicated the relevance of the disease in the human population of the country. Besides to the scarcity of reports the slow growing nature of disease development may result in underestimation of the situation. Economic losses in a range of 3201 to 1,167,512 USD have been reported in the country. Diagnosis of the larvae in the intermediate hosts, especially in humans, is mainly by imaging and immunology techniques. During post mortem examination the cyst can be diagnosed during meat inspection procedures in lungs, liver, heart, spleen, kidneys, muscle bones and other tissues of intermediate hosts. In the definitive host diagnosis can be by demonstration of the parasite from there faces or the small intestine or the detection of specific coproantigens or coproDNA. The role of holistic and systematic interventions approaches involving the public, veterinarians and public health professional for the action to be simultaneous and effectual along with prevalence of hydatidosis are highlighted in the present review.