Hydatidosis in Menoufia's three Abattoirs, Egypt: Epidemiological, Histopathological, Economic, and Molecular Insights in Cattle and Buffaloes

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the prevalence, economic losses, molecularcharacterization, and histopathology of hydatid cysts in slaughtered cattle and buffaloesacross three abattoirs (Al-Shuhada, Ashmoun, and Khalij Al-Arab) in Menoufia governorate,Egypt over two years from March 2021 to May 2023. The overall prevalence of hydatidcysts was 0.96%, with cattle exhibiting a substantially higher prevalence rate (1.05%)compared to buffaloes (0.55%). The higher prevalence rate was observed in older femalecattle (1.90%). The liver exhibited a greater predilection site for infection (0.63%) versusthe lungs (0.33%). Our study estimated economic losses due to organ condemnationtotaled 50600 EGP. Morphological and histopathological examinations were recorded. PCRand Sequence analysis of NADH dehydrogenase gene showed that the sequence of hydatidcyst from slaughtered cattle in the present study was E. ortleppi. It had high identity percent(93.33%-99.57%) with sequences of E. ortleppi from Egypt, Sudan, Namibia, India, China,Japan, Germany, Ukraine and Argentina and occurred in the same clade. According to theseresults, hydatidosis poses a significant veterinary and economic risk to the cow and buffalopopulations under study in Egypt, necessitating better preventive and control measures.