Prevalence of Cystic Echinococcosis in One-Humped Camels Slaughtered at Addis Ababa Municipality Abattoir, Ethiopia

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is one of the most important zoonotic and economically important disease prevalent in different parts of Ethiopia and the world at large. This survey aimed to estimate the prevalence, identify associated risk factors, and tissue distribution patterns of CE in camels slaughtered at Addis Ababa municipality abattoir. Out of 416 one-humped camels examined during meat inspection, hydatid cysts were detected in 159 (38.22%) of them. The cyst was detected more frequently in the lungs (37.02%) followed by liver (35.1%), but very few camels had cysts in their heart, spleen, and kidneys. Significantly higher (p <0.05) prevalence of hydatid cyst was observed in female than male camels (48.05% vs 32.4%), in adult camels than young ones (53.1% vs 20.2%), and camels with good (25.0%) and medium body conditions (67.4%) compared to those in poor body condition (7.7%). The study further revealed that out of 768 cysts collected from the different organs, 169 (22%), 215 (28%) and 384 (70.57%) were abscessed/calcified, sterile and fertile cysts, respectively. About 54% (n=235) of the cysts in the lungs and 45% (n=148) in the liver were fertile. Of which, 146 (62.13%) cysts in lungs and 87 (58.78%) cysts in liver were viable. In conclusion, this study revealed a high prevalence of CE with a higher proportion of fertile and viable cysts in the pastoral areas. Therefore, to reduce the wide spread occurrence of CE and hence the presumed public health and socio-economic impacts, extension work on safe disposal of infected offal and dead animals, awareness creation to the community about the disease, construction of abattoirs with appropriate disposal pits and strict meat inspection should be given due consideration.