Serodiagnosis of hydatidosis in sheep slaughtered at Sokoto abattoir, Sokoto state, Nigeria

Abstract

Serological screening for hydatidosis was carried out on sheep slaughtered at the Sokoto abattoir, Northwestern Nigeria. A total of 186 serum samples  obtained from randomly selected animals were analysed for antigen - antibody responses using Echinococcus granulosus IgG Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit (RIDASCREEN^®). Postmortem inspection for the presence of cyst was also carried out on the selected animals. The study did not observe any antigen-antibody reaction in any of the samples screened and no cyst was found at post-mortem inspection of the selected sheep. The zero prevalence recorded suggest s the need to employ some other more sensitive diagnostic techniques to ascertain the result obtained in this study.