Sero-prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in small ruminants from hypoendemic Northern Italy

Reliable figures of local distribution and prevalence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in intermediate hosts are a fundamental prerequisite for implementation of control strategies against cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by Echinococcus granulosus. With the aim to assess the “true” prevalence of CE in a mountain area of Piedmont region (North-Western Italy), two methods alternative to use of official abattoir data were compared: (i) the necroscopic examination of 117 sheep and goats, killed during wolf attacks while on summer pastures, for presence of hydatid cysts; (ii) the serological examination with an enzyme-linked immuno-electro transfer blot assay (EITB) of 1217 sheep from 9 transhumant flocks for presence of anti-Echinococcus antibodies. EITB was first performed on pooled samples, then each serum sample from positive pools was individually tested. Prevalences were 15.4 and 10.8% with method (i) and method (ii), respectively, and they resulted not statistically different (P > 0.05). Seroreactors (from 4.4 to 46%) were found in 7 of 9 tested flocks. Adult Echinococcus tapeworms were found in 2 of 4 necropsied dogs from 3 flocks.Onthe basis of the results, CE prevalence in small ruminants from Piedmont seems to be higher than that reported by official abattoir statistics in the last decade.