Boiling sheep liver or lung for 30 minutes is necessary and sufficient to kill Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces in hydatid cysts

• Main Authors: Li Jun, Wu Chuanchuan, Wang Hui, Liu Huanyuan, Vuitton Dominique A., Wen Hao, Zhang Wenbao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2014-01-01
• Series: Parasite
• Subjects: Echinococcus granulosus; Cystic echinococcosis; Hydatid cyst; Control measures; Community health
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2014064

Proper disposal of carcasses and offal after home slaughter is difficult in poor and remote communities and therefore dogs readily have access to hydatid cysts containing offal from livestock, thus completing the parasite cycle of Echinococcus granulosus and putting communities at risk of cystic echinococcosis. Boiling livers and lungs which contain hydatid cysts could be a simple, efficient and energy- and time-saving way to kill the infectious protoscoleces. The aim of this study was to provide precise practical recommendations to livestock owners. Our results show that boiling the whole sheep liver and/or lung, with single or multiple hydatid cysts, for 30 min is necessary and sufficient to kill E. granulosus protoscoleces in hydatid cysts. Advertising on this simple rule in at-risk communities would be an efficient and cheap complement to other veterinary public health operations to control cystic echinococcosis.