Echinococcus granulosus infection in Spain

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by the cestode Echinococcus granulosus is an endemic disease in Spain. Although specific control programmes initiated in the 1980s have led to marked reductions in CE infection rates in Spain, the disease still remains an important human and animal health problem in many regions of the country. Human incidence and livestock (including sheep, cattle, pigs and horses) prevalence data were gathered from national epidemiological surveillance information systems and regional institutions for the period 2000-2005. Additionally, data on the prevalence of E. granulosus infection in dogs were obtained from published literature. The most affected regions were those of the North Eastern, Central and Western parts of the country, (Autonomous Regions of Aragon, Castile-La Mancha, Castile-Leon, Extremadura, Navarre and La Rioja), where human CE incidence rates in the range of 1.1-3.4 cases per 10(5) inhabitants coexist with ovine/bovine CE prevalence rates up to 23%. Control programmes of hydatidosis/echinococcosis should be reinforced in these regions to reduce the prevalence of the disease.     

绵羊包虫病的ELISA诊断实验

在屠宰场通过肝脏观察采集健康的和疑似感染棘球蚴的绵羊血清通过ELISA试剂盒诊断,对ELISA试剂盒的准确性和敏感性进行了评估,发现越是感染后期它的敏感性越高,而在活体中对细粒棘球蚴或多头棘球蚴正确的免疫诊断却比较困难。     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS OF OVINE CYSTIC ECHINOCOCCOSIS

The sanitary and economic impact of cystic echinococcosis is serious in those countries where it becomes endemic. Ultrasonography is one technique that may be used to diagnose this disease in endemic areas. In parasitized sheep, hydatid cysts appear sonographically as a round hypoechoic structure. Twenty two sheep destined for slaughter were studied sonographically and imaging findings compared to post-mortem findings. Three sheep with hydatid cysts were identified. Eighty additional sheep not destined for slaughter were also studied. Echinococcus granulosus cysts were detected in three animals. Forty sheep from a non-endemic area had no hepatic cysts. The in vivo sonographic study of sheep provides a useful screening tool for echinococcosis.     

Cystic Hydatic Disease in Sheep: Treatment with Percutaneous Aspiration and Injection with Dipeptide Methyl Ester

An in vitro and in vivo study was conducted to show the effect of dipeptide methyl ester on the protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus and in naturally infected sheep. Easily punctured cysts were located by ultrasonography. A PAIR and PAI method were performed bythe injection of dipeptide methyl ester into these cysts at a final concentration of 110 mmol/L. Follow-up was conducted monthly by ultrasonography. After injection of the compound, the sheep were sacrificed at different times from 6 to 17 weeks. The size and the morphological aspect of treated cysts were noted. Samples were collected for histologyand electron microscopy. In conclusion, these studies revealed significant and rapid detachment of the membrane of the treated cyst and alteration of the inner membrane in less than 5 min after injection of the drug, confirming the effect of the compound on the laminated layer of the parasite.     

Echinococcosis/hydatidosis: its prevalence,economic and public health significance in Tigray region,North Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence, economic and public health significance of echinococcosis/hydatidosis in Tigray Regional State, north Ethiopia. Out of 18 stray dogs euthanized and examined, three of them were found harboring the adult parasite Echinococcus granulosus in their small intestine. From 5,194 cattle examined at slaughter houses, 1146 (22.1%) of them were found harboring hydatid cyst. The majority of the infected cattle had hydatid cyst in both liver and lungs. The hydatid cyst infection in the lung, liver, kidney, heart and spleen were found to be 13%, 8.1%, 0.5%, 0.4%, and 0.1%, respectively. The estimated total annual loss from bovine hydatidosis due to offal condemnation (lungs and liver) and carcass weight loss was 25,608 Ethiopian (Eth.) Birr. The present human hydatidosis survey conducted in all six zonal hospitals of Tigray Regional State disclosed one active clinical case in Mekelle hospital during the study period. While, the retrospective data analyses of the six zonal hospitals indicated that eight cases of human hydatidosis were diagnosed since 2000. Thus echinococcosis/hydatidosis is considerably prevalent disease in cattle and it is a serious public health concern in Tigray region.     

控制包虫病的缓释剂型研究─抗包虫病犬用吡喹酮缓释包埋剂(PSRI)现场防治细粒棘球绦虫试验

研制了三种抗包虫病大用吡喹酮缓释包埋剂，通过人工感染试验表明：吡喹酮缓释包埋剂3号给犬皮下植入7个月时，进行原头蚴人工感染，对细粒棘球绦虫的预防保护率达98．46％；包埋剂内还剩余吡喹酮48．93％，至1年左右药物才被吸收完毕，预防期可能长达一年，故优选了本缓释剂。本文报道应用吡喹酮缓释包埋剂3号在包虫病高发区甘肃省天祝藏族自治县进行的现场试验，经113只犬的植入试验，在植入8个月和14个月时用氢溴酸槟榔碱泻下法抽检38只植入犬，皆未发现细粒棘球绦虫的感染，预防保护率为100％，而对照犬的感染率为20％，预防保护效果极显著，从而肯定了抗包虫病犬用吡喹酮缓释包埋剂预防犬感染细粒棘球绦虫的良好效果。     

Prevalence of echinococcosis in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in Sweden

In Sweden echinococcosis is uncommon in domestic animals. In reindeer in the most northern part of the country echinococcosis was found. Of 1453 pairs of lungs, 23 pairs (1.6 %) were infected with hydatid cysts. These were of two types: typical well-developed hydatid cysts, which were found in nine of the 23 infected lungs, and collapsed hydatid cysts, which were found in 13 of the lungs. In only one lung pair both types of cysts were seen.     

Giant cell reaction against the laminated membrane of echinococcus cysts in reindeer lungs.

In 23 pairs of lungs from reindeer two to five years of age, two types of hydatid cysts of Echinococcus granulosus were found: typical well-developed cysts and collapsed degenerated cysts.Collapsed cysts were found in 13 pairs of lungs, well-developed in nine pairs, while both types of cysts were found in one pair of lungs.A giant cell formation was present in the innermost zone of the surrounding adventitial membrane of both collapsed cysts and well-developed cysts. The giant cell reaction seemed to be induced by and directed against the laminated membrane. In the areas of the cysts where the laminated membrane showed a close contact with the adventitial membrane, the giant cells seemed to be actively engaged in the inflammatory process. On the contrary, in the areas of the cysts where the laminated membrane had lost contact with the adventitial membrane, the giant cells were degenerated or necrotic, and the space between the membranes was filled with necrotic cells. In cases where the laminated membrane had been pronouncedly disintegrated, the giant cells were also necrotic or nonexistent.The giant cell reaction which was found even in comparatively young fertile cysts suggests that the reindeer variant of E. granulosus, if such exists, is not especially well-adapted to the reindeer as its intermediate host.