MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF ECHINOCOCCUS GENOTYPES FROM LIVESTOCK SLAUGHTERED IN SELECTED ABATTOIRS IN MERU AND ISIOLO COUNTIES IN KENYA

Abstract

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) occurs in most regions of sub-Saharan Africa, but the frequency of this zoonosis differs considerably among and within countries in the continent. Research on cystic echinococcosis has a long history in Kenya, but has mainly concentrated on two discrete areas, Turkana and Maasailand, which are known to be foci of human CE in Africa. In the present study genetic identification of E. granulosus isolates from selected abattoirs Eastern Kenya specifically, Meru and Isiolo counties were done. A total of 7831 livestock carcasses were surveyed. Hydatid cysts were collected from livestock (cattle, goats, sheep, and camels) from abattoirs and slaughter slabs. A DNA based molecular analysis was done to genotype cyst isolates using PCR-RFLP techniques targeting the mitochondrial gene nad-1. Average CE prevalence was 1.92 % (number infected/number of animals sampled) in cattle, 6.94% (number infected/number of animals sampled) in camels, 0.37% (number infected/number of animals sampled) in goats and in sheep 4.62% (number infected/number of animals sampled).Majority of cysts occurred in the lungs in comparison to the liver for each of the hosts apart from goats. From a total of 284 recovered cysts, 258 could be identified as E. granulosus sensu stricto (n=160), E. ortleppi (n=51) and E. canadensis (n=47) by RFLP-PCR The data indicate that the epidemiological situation in Eastern Kenya is clearly different from the well-studied pastoral regions of Turkana and Maasailand, and the apparently low number of human cases correlates with the infrequent occurrence of E. granulosus sensu stricto. With the finding of all the three genotypes prevailing in the small foci study areas further investigation needs to be done in other parts of the country to find out if the scenario is the same.