Prevalence and a comparative study on the larval rostellar hook morphology of Taenia hydatigena cysticerci from sheep and goats have been made in Iran. The 1336 sheep and 1674 goats slaughtered at the Kerman abattoir were investigated for infection with Cysticercus tenuicollis cyst. C. tenuicollis cysts were found in 172 sheep (12.87%) and 302 goats (18.04%) and this difference was signifi cant (P<0.05). The predominant predilection site of cysticerci in sheep (84.85%) and goats (82.14%) was signifi cantly (P<0.05) the omentum. The morphological characters in small hooks (including length of hooks, length of handle and length of guard) were signifi cantly different in cysticerci from sheep and goats (P<0.05). It is concluded that the cysticerci of sheep and goat origin probably represent two different strains and possibly follow the same pattern of speciation as reported in the related taeniid, Echinococcus granulosus.

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Prevalence and morphological characterization of Cysticercus tenuicollis (Taenia hydatigena cysticerci) from sheep and goats in Iran

Although Taenia hydatigena is one of the most prevalent taeniid species of livestock, very little molecular genetic information exists for this parasite. Up to 100 sheep isolates of T. hydatigena were collected from 19 abattoirs located in the provinces of Tehran, Alborz and Kerman. A calibrated microscope was used to measure the larval rostellar hook lengths. Following DNA extraction, fragments of cytochrome c oxidase 1 (CO1) and 12S rRNA genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction method and the amplicons were subjected to sequencing. The mean total length of large and small hooks was 203.4 μm and 135.9 μm, respectively. Forty CO1 and 39 12S rRNA sequence haplotypes were obtained in the study. The levels of pairwise nucleotide variation between individual haplotypes of CO1 and 12S rRNA genes were determined to be between 0.3-3.4% and 0.2-2.1%, respectively. The overall nucleotide variation among all the CO1 haplotypes was 9.7%, and for all the 12S rRNA haplotypes it was 10.1%. A significant difference was observed between rostellar hook morphometry and both CO1 and 12S rRNA sequence variability. A significantly high level of genetic variation was observed in the present study. The results showed that the 12S rRNA gene is more variable than CO1.

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Molecular and morphological characterization of the tapeworm Taenia hydatigena (Pallas, 1766) in sheep from Iran.

Cysticercus tenuicollis is the metacestode of canine tapeworm Taenia hydatigena, which has been reported in domestic and wild ruminants and is causing veterinary and economic losses in the meat industry. This study was conducted to determine the sequence variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (coxl) gene in 20 isolates of T. hydatigena metacestodes (cysticercus tenuicollis) collected from northern West Bank in Palestine. Nine haplotypes were detected, with one prevailing (55%). The total haplotype diversity (0.705) and the total nucleotide diversity (0.0045) displayed low genetic diversity among our isolates. Haplotype analysis showed a star-shaped network with a centrally positioned common haplotype. The Tajima's D, and Fu and Li's statistics in cysticercus tenuicollis population of this region showed a negative value, indicating deviations from neutrality and both suggested recent population expansion for the population. The findings of this study would greatly help to implement control and preventive measures for T. hydatigena larvae infection in Palestine.

Genetic diversity of Taenia hydatigena in the northern part of the West Bank, Palestine as determined by mitochondrial DNA sequences

A prospective study was conducted based on the principle of post mortem examination on sheep slaughtered at Sokoto abattoir for the presence of Cysticercus tenuicollis cysts. A total of 261 sheep were examined with 34 (13.03%) infected. Prevalence of infection increased with the age of the  animals. Males had relatively higher prevalence than females. Infection was recorded in several visceral organs with omentum having the highest  prevalence (35.29%) and the lungs the least(11.76%). The results suggest that C. tenuicollis is common and may constitute a health problem in sheep and a source of economic loss in the meat industry, thus emphasizing the need for proper meat inspection and handling of offals in the study area.

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Prevalence of Cysticercus tenuicollis cysts in sheep slaughtered at Sokoto abattoir, Sokoto state, Nigeria -

Objective The purpose of this study on cattle and sheep slaughtered in the Van Local Slaughterhouse, in which some metacestodes were found (Cysticercus tenuicollis, Cyst hydatid), was to determine the status and the prevalence of these parasites which are still widely seen in various regions of Turkey and to determine the distribution of internal organs. Methods Organ inspections were performed manually and visually on 525 sheep and 184 cattle which were bred in the Van region and slaughtered in the Van Local Slaughterhouse in the Van region. Results Five hundred twenty-five sheep and 184 cattle were examined for hydatidosis and the infection rates were found to be 44.4% and Cysticercus tenuicollis infection rate was 27.9%. Conclusion This study indicated that, in slaughtered animals, meat is a common source of cysticerces and the importance cannot be underestimated.

Cystic echinococcosis and cysticerci of Taenia hydatigena in cattle and sheep slaughtered in a Van Local Slaughterhouse

Out of 4 fenced pastures, 2 stationary flocks and 3 wandering flocks with approx. 2,000 mother sheep, 962 samples of faeces were checked for the occurrence of gastro-intestinal nematodes and lungworms. Irrespective of the way the sheep are kept, an infestation incidence of 11.1 to 100% with gastro-intestinal nematodes was found. In one flock even after two treatments 66.7% were still infected; therefore, suspect methods of treatment have to be avoided and a constant change of anthelmintics is absolutely essential. Dictyocaulus filaria occurred in 6 out of 9 flocks and was easy to be treated chemotherapeutically, whereas the protostrongyles could be reduced but were not eliminated totally. - 785 out of 4,710 slaughter sheep (= 16.7%) harboured metacestodes of Taenia hydatigena in the omentum majus. In most cases one or two specimens (= 66.6 i.e. 17.6%) of Cysticercus tenuicollis could be found, once there were even 117. 1.332 cysticercus (= 78.1%) showed ready to contract and according to these and other morphological criteria, a total of 1,416 (= 83%) were regarded to be vital and able to evoke an infection. Relating to practice, the sheep dog should always be treated at the same time as deworming of the flock takes place.

Weber-Werringhen R

Papers

Fecal surveys in pastured sheep and the occurrence of Cysticercus tenuicollis in slaughtered sheep