Prevalence of hydatid cyst in slaughtered livestock of Sari province in seasons of 2010-2012

Hydatid cyst is a kind of parasitic disease common to humans and animals which is caused through the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. This has caused many economic and health damage such as confiscating impurities of animal feed at the slaughterhouse.
The current cross-sectional study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of hydatid cysts in slaughtered livestock at Sari slaughterhouse and took place within the years of 2010 to 2012.
From among a total of 282,394 animals slaughtered during the years of 2010 to 2012, 45,891 head of cattle (26/8 %), 144,211 sheep (14/8 %), and 92,292 goats (15 %) were infected with hydatid cysts. The effect of seasons on the prevalence of hydatid cyst revealed the maximum amount of contamination is first in winter and then fall.
Prevention of parasite’s life cycle in the final host and interface by controlling the stray dogs and hygienically destructing the carcasses and/or offal of infected animals is highly important in control of hydatid cyst.