Echinococcus granulosus larvae in the livers of sheep in Tunisia: the effects of host age

Abstract

A baseline survey of hepatic hydatid disease in sheep in Tunisia was undertaken. Prevalence and intensity (i.e. the number of cysts/liver) were both found to increase with age. The age-specific trends in these two parameters indicate that Echinococcus granulosus is in an endemic equilibrium steady-state in Tunisia and therefore amenable to control. The distribution of parasites within the livers of the hosts followed a negative binomial distribution. The negative binomial constant, k, increased with age, indicating that there was a lower propensity for aggregation of parasites in the hosts as the sheep became older.