Prevalence of echinococcosis in dogs and wild carnivores in selected Serengeti ecosystem areas of Tanzania

Abstract

A prevalence study on echinococcosis in dogs and wild carnivores was  conducted in northen Tanzania. Copro-antigen ELISA was used to screen 442 dog faecal samples from Magu, Bariadi and Ngorongoro districts, together with 88 wild carnivore samples from Serengeti National Park.  Overall prevalence of E. granulosus in dogs was 12.4%. Magu (14.6%) and Ngorongoro districts (10.0%) had higher prevalence than Bariadi district (6.3%). The prevalence of echinococcosis in wild carnivores was 13.6%. Species which were positive to Copro-antigen ELISA test included bat eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) (14.3%), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) (16.1%), spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) (37.5%) and lion (Panthera leo)  (10.0%). The findings uncover that dogs and wild carnivores from northern Tanzania are infected with E. granulosus, a situation which may pose a risk of infection to other hosts including human. Therefore, more  epidermiological investigation is needed to understand the dynamics of the disease in human, domestic animals and wildlife.

Key Words: Echinococcus granulosus, dogs, wild carnivores, Tanzania