AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY TO INVESTIGATE THE PREVALENCE OF CYSTIC ECHINOCOCCOSIS (CE) IN DOMESTIC RUMINANTS

Abstract

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a widespread zoonotic disease that found across the globe. It is holding a significant importance due to its neglected status as a zoonotic disease. Because of the limited investigative efforts, this disease poses a challenge in ruminant’s population within Pakistan. The present study was aimed to conduct a cross-sectional survey and demographical representation based confirmation of Cystic echinococcosis in sheep, goats, cows, and buffaloes. For this purpose, the research employed a community-based random cross-sectional approach, gathering data from 327 participants. The questionnaire addressed knowledge, attitude and practice (KAPs), the one health concept, risk factors, anthropogenic activities, and perceptions pertaining to Cystic echinococcosis. The interviewed respondents were adults of age group of 36-40 years old with highest percentage of 18.65% and lowest was 65 years and above with 6.72%. Most of them (38.65%) would like free medicine of CE. About half of the peoples feed their dogs often and major of them do not play with the dogs. Risk factors included resident, knowing dog could be infected, knowing eating could be route of infection, usually feed your dog by self, feed dogs with internal organs. In general, our findings showed that most of respondents had positive attitude toward treatments of the disease, but their practice about disease prevention and control was low (49.01%). While the collection of data from farmer’s knowledge, attitude and practices (KAPs study), involved in the study were dog’s owners and peoples who kept animals. The results showed that only 27% of people have heard about the disease, and 47.22% were closely associated with dogs, 18.09% peoples playing with dogs, while 33.94% respondents were known the symptoms of CE. In total 398 animals were examined during this study to find out the prevalence of Cystic echinococcosis (CE). The data were collected from slaughterhouses from December 2022 to June 2023. The samples were collected from sheep (n = 36), goats (n = 54), cows (n = 182), and buffaloes (n = 127) examined directly. A total 398 of animals were examined. The maximum prevalence of the diseases was recorded in Tehsil Mailsi (9.80%) and lowest in Vehari (1.50%). The overall prevalence rate 10.3% of Cystic echinococcosis (CE) were recorded, the prevalence observed in sheep (13.8%) whereas lowest prevalence rate 3.7% was recorded in goat. Visceral organs of all slaughtered animals were examined for the presence of Cystic echinococcosis (CE). Organ examination indicated buffalo and goat lungs (9.44%; 3.70% respectively) as the most preferred location of Cystic echinococcosis (CE) localization followed by mainly in cow liver (6.6%). The statistical analysis showed that there was highly significant difference (P < 0.05) among most of the practices that were associated with the prevalence of CE. The study underscored the need for improved understanding about the Cystic echinococcosis (CE). The understanding from current study could be used to improve the delivery of an efficient health education message relevant to CE control of the animal interaction of district Vehari.