Abstract
To ascertain the prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus in owned dogs in rural areas located southern Tripoli, and to identify some predisposing risk factors including management of dogs and owner practices contributing to perpetuation and transmission of E. granulosus. Taeniid eggs and other helminth infection in dogs were identified microscopically through faecal flotation method. Infection with E. granulosus was determined indirectly via faecal antigen-capture ELISA and copro-PCR. Data on dog management and owner understanding of hydatid disease were collected via questionnaire. Faeces were collected from 149 owned dogs (79 AlKremia; 40 Swani; 30 Sedi-sleem). Taeniid eggs were found in 11 dog feces. Eggs of hookworms were most prevalent, up to 17.2%. Roundworms Toxocara canis was least common, up to 6.1%. Of the 25 dogs found to be Echinococcus coproantigen positive, 14 were in Alkremia, 9 in Swani and 2 in Sedi-sleem. Twenty four out of 25 E.granulosus coproantigen ELISA-positive dogs were also copro-PCR-positive. The most common dog ration was scrape boiled food and raw meat up to 60(41.4%) and 46 (31.7%) of owners fed scraped boiled food to their dogs as a regular daily food ration. Nearly (41.5%) of owners never deworm their dogs and 45.7% deworm their dogs at irregular interval >6 months. Few dewormed their dogs often enough to ensure they remained cestode free at ≤ 6 months 18 (12.7%), and 32 (24%) of owners admitted to left carcases where they were dead without burial, which offer good opportunity for dog scavenging. This study documents some factors that are contributory to the occurrence of E. granulosus in dogs in southern Tripoli and identifies the need for introduce an educational components directed towards dog owners.