Echinococcosis (zoonotic hydatidosis) in street dogs in urban and rural areas, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.

Abstract

A total of one hundred and ninety street dogs were captured from urban area, Mansoura district and three hundreds and fifty from rural area, Met El-Korama and adjacent villages (Manshet El-Badawy, Talka Center). The overall prevalence of Echinoccocus granulosus was 5%, with a worm burden ranging from 4 to 1010 (mean = 421). The prevalence was 6% in rural locality and 3.2% in urban locality. E. granulosus in dogs was significantly higher in rural areas but, without significant difference in puppies and males. The overall sensitivity was 61.5% and specificity was 97.5%. Apart from E. granulosus, dogs were also, infected with Taenia sp., Diplydium caninum, Toxocara canis, Trichurus vulpis and Ancylostoma caninum. The major cross-reactions were with Taenia sp., and D. caninum. Significantly, no correlation was found between ELISA on dogs' sera and E. granulosus burden.