Helminth research in South Africa. V. Echinococcus in South Africa.

Abstract

Verster's paper on Echinococcus in South Africa drew attention to the fact that although the tapeworms resulting from infective bovine hydatid cysts resembled E. granulosus morphologically, they differed in three aspects from the generally accepted description of this worm, namely, that parasites of bovine origin were mainly fertile, that the Cape hunting dog is apparently more susceptible to infection than is the domestic dog, and that a small percentage of worms took and matured in the domestic cat. A survey on the incidence of hydatid cysts in livestock during the past 12 months revealed that the over-all incidence in cattle was 4.9%, in sheep 2.6%, in goats 3.2% and in pigs 2.2%. The incidence in live-stock in the Eastern Cape was the highest in the country whereas that in the Eastern Transvaal appeared to be rising. Farming methods and climate seem to have an effect on the incidence of hydatidosis. In Worcester the incidence is high in cattle, sheep and pigs; the cattle and sheep slaughtered at Worcester come from South West Africa and are not a reflection of the local incidence. The pigs in the Worcester district are allowed to graze on free range and thus come into contact with faeces of the numerous carnivores which inhabit the surrounding mountains. Mention was made of the high incidence of hydatid cysts in the lungs of gemsbuck in the Kalahari desert. R.K.R.