Cystic Echinococcosis in Slaughtered Animals in Libya: A Review

Unilocular Cystic Echinococcosis (CE), in livestock is caused by the larval cystic stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Hydatid cysts in domestic animals lead to protein and economic losses, because of the condemnation of slaughtered animals infected viscera as well as reducing the quality and quantity of the livestock other productions such as milk, wool and meat. In Libya, hydatid disease infects a wide range of domestic animals (sheep, goats, cattle and camels) act as intermediate hosts E. granulosus. Prevalence of cystic hydatidosis based on available abattoirs data in livestock is hyper endemic in Libya and infection rates in all domestic slaughtered animals reached almost 50%. Many abattoir investigations in Libya have revealed that hydatid cyst is a disease, which infect a wide range of animal species with variable rates of infection, for example, sheep (1.6 to 40%), goats (5.6 to 70%), cattle (2.7 to 56%) and camels (2.7 to 48%) in different cities of Libya. Population of stray dogs and its worm burden infection of E. granulosus, socio-economic development, socio- economic agricultural practices, common traditional animal husbandry practices and the practices of slaughtering of domesticated animals continued the transmission of cystic hydatidosis in the various cities of Libya. Importance of echinococcosis given on human health and domestic animals industry, it is necessary to implement monitoring and control measures in this regard in Libya. This requires public health education and awareness about the dangers of the disease and its transmission and preventive routes, education on the appropriate ways of washing and disinfecting of vegetables and fruits, education on the correct ways of animal slaughtering, prevention on feeding dogs by viscera of home-slaughtered animals, prevention on direct contact by dogs faeces, enforce legislation on meat inspection and improve veterinary services in both government as well as private abattoirs in Libya.