EFFECT SOME FACTORS ON THE RATIOS OF INFECTIONS, FERTILITY, AND EPIDEMICAL OF HYDATID CYSTS DISEASE IN SOME INTERMEDIATE HOSTS IN THI- QAR PROVINCE / IRAQ.

The cestod of Echinococcus granulosus produces hydatid cysts, which is endemic zoonotic in Iraq. Hence the current study aimed to determine the epidemiology of hydatid cyst disease in livers, lungs, and spleens of intermediate hosts (sheep, cows, buffaloes, camels, and goats). As well as, figuring out the extent of its spread and its risk factors, in addition, the effect of gender, age, and affected organs on the fertility of hydrated cysts in intermediate hosts were that examined over a whole year from the 2nd January to December 2021 in Thi-Qar province/ Iraq. Four thousands eight hundreds and fourteen animals that were were examined and distributed as the following: 1821 sheep, 1941 cows, 463 buffaloes, 131 camels, and 455 goats. The information of hosts were collected that included; sex, age, and intensity of infections for each type of the hosts. The results show that 396 animals were infected with hydatid cysts. The highest infection and fertility rates were in sheep with 10.8%, 85.18% respectively. In goat the lowest infection rate was detected 0.44% with 0% for the fertility percentage . Based on the infected organs, the liver recorded the highest infection, followed by the lungs. In contrast, the lungs recorded the highest rate, followed by livers. The infection and fertility rates increased with age progression., The sex effect showed that females had the highest infection rate and fertility for all intermediate hosts The current study revealed that kind of host, gender, the infected organ, and age have significant contributors to the infection, and fertility status of hydatid cysts. Thus these characteristics can be respected as risk factors and affect the epidemiology of this illness.