PATHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF Echinococus granulosus INFECTION IN LUNGS OF SHEEP IN KERBALA PROVINCE

Parasitic infection of Ehinococus granulosus infects many animals because of hosts variation ; intermediate host include ,sheep ,cattle ,goats ,pigs ,horses and camels as well as human. Transmitted to intermediate host by the ingestion of egg and transmitted to definitive host via eating infected mature cyst's containing organs. Final host was dog and canine species were the adult worms may survive for up to 3 years and laying egg after 6-10 month in dog that excretes with feces. The eggs may be eaten in food such as vegetables , herbs ,fruit or drunk in contaminated water ,they can also stick to the hands when a person pet an infected dog or cat ,handles a wild animal or carcass, or touches contaminated soil and vegetation . One hundred 100 lungs specimens were examined in field and in laboratory, results showed that more than 50% of lungs samples were infected with hydatid cysts or Echinococus granulosus, histopathological examination showed sever destructive and necrotic with hemolytic changes in lungs tissues contained Echinococus granulosuscysts .Conclusions: parasitic infection Echinococus granulosus or hydatid cysts were predominantly and commonly existence in sheep living in Kerbala.