Abstract
Meat inspection records of two slaughterhouses were used to determine the prevalence Echinococcus granulosus infection among slaughtered animals in Ha'il province, North-western Saudi Arabia. Records showed that from January to December 2015, 149514 animals were examined (126642 sheep, 4347 cattle and 18525 camels). The prevalence of E. granulosus was 7.89% (95% CI = 7.74-8.04), 2.76% (95% CI = 2.30-3.30) and 0.51% (95% CI = 0.41-0.62) in sheep, cattle and camels respectively. Hydatid cyst was found strictly in liver and lung. A total of 440 hydatid cysts from sheep were assessed for their fertility and viability: thus, 66.59% were fertile, 12.5% were sterile and 20.90% were purulent or calcified. Among the fertile cysts the protoscoleces were viable in 59.38% of them. In conclusion, the prevalence of slaughtered animal cystic echinococcosis in North-western Saudi Arabia is lower compared to those reported in other regions of the country. Nevertheless, control of stray dog population, deworming of dogs and proper disposal of infected viscera remain crucial to curtail the problem.