Original Article
English
Umar Farooq1, Saeed Ali 1, Rabia Mohammed 4, Mahmood Daboubash 2, Bashir Fomda 3
1-Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine (Tobruk Campus), Omer el Mukhtar University, Albeida, Libya, 2-Department of Histopathology, Elbatnan Medical Centre, Tobruk, 3- Department of Microbiology, SKIMS, Sri Nagar, India, 4-Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, El Minia University, Egypt
JMJ 2009,Vol.9, No.3: 201-204
Abstract
Echinococcus granulosus has a cosmopolitan distribution with a high prevalence of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) reported in the southern Mediterranean basin, particularly in parts of North Africa including Libya. Currently, E. granulosus is the only species of the genus Echinococcosis that is found in Libya, and the domestic dog serves as the only known reservoir for the adult tapeworm, and therefore plays a recognized role as the main source of infection causing both public health and veterinary problems. A study of cystic echinococcosis was undertaken in rural and urban areas of north-eastern part of Libya to determine the prevalence of hydatid disease among the population. Overall, 32 cases had been treated surgically for Cystic Echinococcosis during 2004 to 2007. The results indicated that the cysts were most frequently found in the liver (66%), followed by the lungs (19%), spleen (3%) and kidney (3%). The prevalence of CE increased significantly with age and females were significantly more affected than males. No differences were found between the two sexes in the location and size of the cysts. Blood samples collected onto filter papers were taken randomly, of which 6% were found to be positive for IgG antibody, females exhibiting a higher prevalence than males for all age groups. These results suggested that the frequency of cystic Echinococcosis in the Tobruk region is significantly high which needs consideration, but a significant difference was not found among the sexes. These results suggest the need for mass screening for hydatidosis in this region of Libya.
Keywords: Human Cystic Echinococcosis (CE), Seroprevalence, Tobruk, Libya.
Link/DOI: http://www.jmj.org.ly/PDF/autumn2009/201.pdf