Genetic Diversity and Prevalence of Echinococcus Species in Livestock in Maasailand and Turkana, Kenya Francis Addy

Abstract

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. Reported prevalence of CE from the Maasai and Turkana pastoral communities ranges from 3.6% to 19.4%. Echinococcus taxa identified in hosts in these areas were; E. granulosus G1, E. ortleppi and E. canadensis G6. This study sought to find out the current prevalence, predilection site and genetic diversity of Echinococcus spp. in livestock from Maasailand and Turkana. A survey was carried out at four slaughter houses; one in Kitengela, one in Lomidat and two in Suswa to examine carcasses for Echinococcus cyst. PCR-RFLP and partial sequencing of the mitochondrial gene NADH dehydrogenase gene (nad-1) were used to differentiate 293 cyst isolates to the species level. Prevalence levels of CE were 25.8% (151/587) in cattle, 16.5% (71/430) in sheep and 10.8% (21/194) in goats from Maasailand and 12.4% (12/97) in cattle and 6.8% (5/73) in goats from Turkana. A total of 906 Echinococcus cysts were isolated from the liver (540 cysts), lungs (359 cysts), heart (3 cysts), kidney (2 cysts) and spleen (2 cysts). Echinococcus granulosus s.l. taxa identified were E. granulosus G1 in cattle, sheep and goats in Maasailand and Turkana, E. ortleppi in cattle and E. canadensis G6 in sheep and goats from Maasailand. The prevalence of livestock CE in Maasailand and Turkana ranges 6.8% to 25.8%. The liver of livestock is the main predilection site of Echinococcus cysts. Echinococcus granulosus G1 was the dominant taxon (287/293 isolates) in livestock from Maasailand and Turkana. Similar studies need to be carried out in dogs and humans in the Maasai and Turkana pastoral communities.