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A study on the prevalence of hydatidosis in
cattle, goats and sheep was carried out in Ngorongoro
district of Arusha region, Tanzania. A 4-years data
records from four slaughter slabs were retrieved and
analysed. In addition, meat inspection was done in the
same slaughter slabs for nine months and 64 households
were interviewed to assess the community
awareness on hydatidosis. Results showed the overall
prevalence of hydatidosis to be 47.9%. Species
prevalence of 48.7%, 34.7% and 63.8% in cattle,
goats and sheep respectively was recorded. Of 174
cysts examined in cattle, 37 (21.3%) were fertile, 126
(72.4%) were sterile and 11 (6.3%) were calcified.
Out of 215 goats and 67 sheep cysts examined, 52
(24.7%) and 26 (38.8%) were fertile, 138 (64.2%) and
38 (56.7%) were sterile, 24 (11.2%) and 3 (4.5%)
were calcified respectively. The higher percentage offertile hydatid cysts in sheep and goats coupled with
the practice of backyard slaughter of sheep and goats
suggests that, these animals could be important
intermediate hosts for the maintenance of the domestic
life cycle of E. granulosus in the locality.
Questionnaire survey revealed that 17.2% of the
respondents were aware of hydatidosis but non of
them were knowledgeable on its transmission. Up to
84.4% of the respondents had domestic ruminants and
donkeys, while 89.1% had dogs. Of the households
with dogs, only 19.3% had their dogs dewormed at
least once in life time. Most of the households
(87.7%) had their dogs managed freely and 77.2%
of the respondents reported school children to be the
closest friends of dogs in the family. The prevalence
of E. granulosus infection in wildlife and the possible
relationship of the domestic cycle to the sylvatic cycle
operating in the same area are unknown and need to
be studied. |
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