ABSTRACT

In this study, 640 cattle and 742 sheep slaughtered at twelve abattoirs in Thrace were investigated for hydatid cysts. The infection rate of hydatidosis was 11.6%.in cattle and 3.50% in sheep. The cysts were found in 3.15% of 127 calves (<1 year old), in 13.6% of 513 cattle (between 1-10 years old), in 2.64% of 720 lambs (<1 year old) and in 31.8% of 22 sheep (between 1-6 years old). The infection rate was 23.6% in female cattle and 2.95% in male cattle while the rate was 4.50% in female sheep and 1.82% in male sheep. Out of the infected cattle, 79.7% had cysts in the lungs and 64.9%, in the liver. In infected sheep, cysts were encountered in the livers of 96.2%, in the lungs of 26.9%, and in the spleen of 3.85%. Out of infected cattle, 4.05% had fertile cysts and 23.1% of infected sheep had fertile cysts.

Keywords: Cystic echinococcosis, hydatid cysts, prevalence, sheep, cattle, Turkey