Publication Details
Abstract
A survey was conducted at the Arbil slaughterhouse to assess the prevalence of hydatid cysts among slaughtered animals from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021. The slaughtered animals comprised local breeds of both sexes (male and female), varying ages, and originating from different regions within the Arbil governorate. The identification of hydatid cyst lesions involved gross examination through visual inspection and palpation by hand. The study sample encompassed 67,568 sheep, 26,350 goats, and 10,187 cattle. The morbidity rate of hydatidosis was 1.79% (1,672 out of 93,125) across all slaughtered animals, with rates of 3.61% in sheep, 1.34% in cattle, and 1.25% in goats. The highest overall infection rate in slaughtered animals occurred in spring (3.38%), while the lowest was in winter (1.30%). The study revealed that the highest infection rates of hydatidosis in sheep, goats, and cattle were observed in Arbil (5.52%, 2.35%, and 2.29%, respectively). Additionally, the morbidity rate for lung cysts was 1.21%, with rates of 2.18% in sheep, 0.78% in goats, and 0.72% in cattle. Liver cysts had a morbidity rate of 0.67%, with rates of 1.05% in sheep, 0.51% in goats, and 0.44% in cattle.