Echinococcosis is cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by

adult or larval stages of tapeworms belonging to the

genus Echinococcus Rudolphi, 1801. Within the

genus Echinococcus four species are presently recognised,

namely Echinococcus granulosus, E. multilocularis,

E. oligarthrus and E. vogeli, and taxonomic

revision of the genus is probably needed (Thompson

RCA, McManus DC, 2002, Trends Parasitol 18: 452-

457). E. granulosus, the major species of medical

and public health importance which causes cystic

echinococcosis (hydatidosis), has a global distribution

Apicella, G.

Cringoli, Giuseppe

Garippa, Giovanni

Rinaldi, Laura

Veneziano, Vincenzo

UnissResearch

Parassitologia 46: 449-45 1 ,  2004 
Cystic echinococcosis in the Campania region (southem Italy) 
V. Veneziano 1 ,  L. Rinaldi I ,  G. Apicella 1 ,  G. Garippa 2, G. Cringoli I 
1 Dipartimento di Patologia e Sanità Animale, Settore di Parassitologia e Malattie Parassitarie, University of Naples, 
"Federico II", CREMOPAR, Regione Campania, Naples, Italy; 2 Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Settore di Parassi­
tologia e Malattie Parassitarie, University of Sassari, Italy. 
Echinococcosis is cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by 
adult or larval stages of tapeworrns belonging to the 
genus Echinococcus Rudolphi, 1 80 1 .  Within the 
genus Echinococcus four species are presently recog­
nised, namely Echinococcus granulosus, E. multiloc­
ularis, E. oligarthrus and E. vogeli, and taxonomic 
revision of the genus is probably needed (Thompson 
RCA, McManus DC, 2002, Trends Parasitol 1 8: 452-
457) .  E. granulosus, the major species of medicaI 
and public health importance which causes cystic 
echinococcosis (hydatidosis) , has a global distribu­
tion. 
The range of intermediate host species (domesti­
cate ungulates) depends on the infecting strain of E. 
granulosus, regional or local differences in the avail­
ability of the various intermediate host species, and 
other factors . Laboratory and field observations 
have revealed considerable phenotypic variability 
among isolates of E. granulosus from different 
species of intermediate hosts (Thompson and 
McManus, 2002) .  In total, l O  distinct strains (geno­
types) of E. granulosus have been described using 
DNA sequence data: G 1  (common sheep strain), G2 
(Tasmania sheep strain) , G3 (buffalo strain) , G4 
(horse strain) ,  G5 (cattle strain), G6 (carneI strain), 
G7 (pig strain),  G8 (cervid strain) , G9 (human 
strain) , and G 1 0  (Fennoscandian cervid strain) 
(McManus DC, 2002, Trans R Soc Med Hyg 96: 
1 5 1 - 1 57 ;  Lavikainen A, Lehtinen MJ, Meri T, Hirle­
va-Koski V, Meri S, 2003, Parasitology 1 27 :  207-
2 1 5; Maravilla P, Andrew Thompson RC, Palacios­
Ruiz JA, Estcourt A, Ramirez-Solis E, Mondragon­
de-la-Pena C, Moreno-Moller M, Cardenas-Mejia A, 
Mata-Miranda P, Aguirre-Alcantara MT, Bonilla­
Rodriguez C, Flisser A, 2004, Acta Trop 92: 23 1 -
236). Although the validity of the G9 genotype has 
been questioned (Snabel V, D'Amelio S, Math­
iopoulos K, Turcekova L, Dubinsky P, 2000, J 
Helminthol 74: 1 77- 1 8 1 )  and it might correspond to 
the G7 genotype. The horse strain G4 and the ca t­
de strain G5 have been also considered to represent 
distinct species, E. equinus and E. ortleppi, respec­
tively (Thompson and McManus, 2002) . Data 
regarding the presence  and d i s t ribut ion of 
echinococcosis-hydatidosis in definitive and inter­
mediate hosts are scant and fragmentary in Italy 
Correspondent author: Giuseppe Cringoli, Dipartimento di 
Patologia e Sanità Animale, Settore di Parassitologia e Malat­
tie Parassitarie, University of Naples "Federico II '',  via della 
Veterinaria 1 ,  80 1 37 Naples, Italy, Tel +39 08 1 45 1 802, Fax 
+39 08 1 45 1 729, e-mail: cringoli@unina.it 
(Garippa G, Battelli G, Cringoli G, Giangaspero A, 
Giannetto S, Manfredi MT, 2004, Parassitologia 46: 
33-38) . Scant are al so the studies regarding the 
number and type of E. granulosus strains present in 
Italy; researches performed by the sequencing of the 
mitochondrial genes NADH dehydrogenase and 
CO 1 ,  showed the presence of the G 1 strain in sheep 
and cattle and of the G 1 and G 7 strains in pigs from 
Sardinia (Garippa et al. , 2004; Varcasia A, Nieddu 
MS, Scala A, Garippa G, 2004, Parassitologia 46: 
1 93) .  In addition, Busi et al. (Busi M, Snabel V, De 
Liberato C, D'Amelio S, 2004, Parassitologia 46: 
1 64) recently reported the presence of the G 1 strain 
in sheep and of the G 1 and G2 strains in cattle from 
Sardinia, as well as the presence of the G 1 and G3 
strains in sheep from Latium region. It is notewor­
thy that the G3 buffalo strain, detected for the first 
time in India, seems to be prevalent in the hydatid 
cysts obtained from human infections (Busi et al. , 
2004) . 
Literature reports only three surveys on animaI 
echinococcosis-hydatidosis in the Campania region 
of southern Italy. In the first one, Damiano, 1 964 
(Acta Med Vet l O: 397-40 1 )  reported prevalence 
values of 7 . 1 % in cattle slaughtered in the Caserta 
province. The second one (Capurso A, Rivellini P, 
Guarino C, 1 968, Atti SISVET 22: 725-729) report­
ed prevalence values of 1 % in dogs from Naples 
province and of 2.4% in interrnediate hosts (cattle, 
sheep, goats, pigs and horses) slaughtered in the 
same zone. 
In a recent survey, Cringoli et al. (Cringoli G, 
Capuano F, Landolfi MC, Esposito A, Veneziano V, 
Rinaldi L, 1 998, Atti Giornate Scientifiche Cam­
pane: 238), as a result of a surveillance at 26 slaugh­
terhouses in the Campania region, reported an aver­
age prevalence of cystic echinococcosis lower than 
5 %  in cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. However, some 
zones were at high risk for cattle and sheep with 
prevalence values ranging between 16 and 2 1  %.  
The present paper reports the results of  an abat­
toir-based survey aimed to enlarge the knowledge on 
cystic echinococcosis in the Campania region of 
southern Italy. 
Starting in October 2003, cattle and water buf­
faloes were examined for cystic echinococcosis at 2 
slaugtherhouses located in the Caserta province 
(north of the Campania region) .  Each animaI was 
inspected in order to detect and collect hydatid 
cysts. The number of animals slaughtered each day 
was recorded, as well as the age, sex and origin of 
each animaI. Parasitized organs were examined in 
450 V. Veneziano et al. - Cystic echinococcosis in the Campania regio n 
order to evaluate the number of cysts, their sizes, 
their form (unilocular, pseudo-multilocular, or iper­
laminated) .  Fertility was assessed by determining 
protoscolex viability by microscopic examination, 
observing protoscolices and their flame cells move­
ments ;  degenerative modifications (calcification, 
caseation) were al so determined. 
Out of a total of 1 08 cattle examined, 1 6  ( 1 4 .8%) 
were found to be infected, aged between l and 1 2  
years, all were females. Out of a total o f  494 water 
buffaloes examined, 43 (8 .7% ) were found to be 
infected. They aged between 2 and 1 9  years and 
were 42 females and l male. The average number of 
cysts per cattle was 1 5 .7  (minimum 1 ,  maximum 
74) . Six animals had hydatid cysts only in the liver 
(with an average of 9 . 7  cysts/Iiver), 1 only in the 
lungs (with an average of 2 .0  cysts/lungs) ,  and 9 
cattle had cysts both in the liver and in the lungs. 
Fertile cysts were not found. The frequency, form 
and type of hydatid cysts recovered from different 
organs of cattle, are reported in Table 1 .  
With respect to water buffaloes, the average num­
ber of cysts per animaI was 5 . 7  (ranging from 1 to 45 
cysts/animal) . Ten animals had hydatid cysts only in 
the liver (with an average of 8.0 cysts/liver), 20 only 
in the lungs (with an average of 1 .7 cysts/lungs),  and 
. 1 3  buffaloes had cysts both in the liver and in the 
lungs. Fertile cysts were found in 7 ( 1 6 .3%) out of 
the 43 positive buffaloes. The frequency, form and 
type , of hydatid cysts recovered from different organs 
of water buffaloes, are reported in Table 2 .  
In order to display the presence and distribution 
of cystic echinococcosis in animals from the Cam­
pania region, provenience data of positive animals 
were utilized, combining the data from present sur­
vey with the data from the survey performed in 
1 998 (Cringoli et al. ,  1 998) and a distribution map 
(Fig. l )  was drawn using a Geographical Informa-
tion System (GIS) (software Arc-View 3 .2  GIS, 
ESRI, Redlands, CA, USA) . This map uses the 
municipality as the geographic unit of reference and 
display the municipalities with animals (buffaloes, 
cattle, sheep, goats and pigs) parasitized by cystic 
echinococcosis. This map show that all the five 
provinces of the Campania region had municipali­
ties with animals positive for cystic echinococcosis. 
Cystic echinococcosis is known to be one of the 
most important parasitosis in livestock in the 
Mediterranean region and it is the most important 
parasitic zoonosis in this area ( Garippa et al. ,  
2004) . The findings of this survey are important to 
better know the distribution of cystic echinococco­
sis in the Campania region of southem Italy, rnostly 
for the data reported for water buffaloes. In fact, 
until now, surveys aimed to evaluate the presence 
and distribution of bubaline cystic echinococcosis 
have been performed neither in Italy, nor in the 
whole Mediterranean region. In a recently published 
review of t h e  epidemiologica  l s i tuat ion  on 
echinococcosis in  the Mediterranean region by  the 
Mediterranean Zoonoses Control Centre, WHO 
(Seimenis A, 2003, Acta Trop 85 : 1 9 1 - 1 95 ) ,  the 
Author reports incidence and/or prevalénce values 
of echinococcosis/hydatidosis in humans, cattle, 
sheep, goats, camels, and dogs; there are no data on 
the water buffaloes. The prevalence values reported 
for buffaloes (8 .7%) are noteworthy; they are high­
er than the average values previously reported in 
cattle, sheep, goats and pigs by Cringoli et al. 
( 1 998) . Noteworthy is also the presence of fertile 
cysts in the 1 6. 3 0/0 of positive buffaloes; this let to 
believe that the E. granulosus buffalo strain G3 -
that seems to be prevalent in human infections too 
- is present in water buffaloes bred in Italy. The 
prevalence values reported for cattle in the present 
paper ( 1 4.8%) are double than the average values 
Table 1 .  Frequency, form and type of hydatid cysts recovered fram d ifferent organs of cattle. 
Form of cyst Type of cyst 
Organs No. of cysts 
Uni locular Pseudomultilocular Iperlaminated Fertile Acephalous Sterile Calcified/ 
caseous 
Liver 1 76 1 1 9 56 O 5 1  1 3  1 1 2 
Lungs 64 58 3 3 O 35 O 29 
Total 240 1 77 59 4 O 86 1 3  1 41 
Table 2. Frequency, form and type of hydatid cysts recovered fram different organs of water buffaloes. 
Form of cyst Type of cyst 
Organs No. of cysts 
Unilocular Pseudomultilocular Iperlaminated Fertile Calcified/ Acephalous Sterile 
caseous 
Liver 1 42 1 07 2 1  1 4  29 27 5 81  
Lungs 1 1 1  8 1  1 1  1 9  30 1 4  6 6 1  
Total 253 1 88 32 33 59 41 1 1  1 42 
V. Veneziano et al. - Cystic echinococcosis in the Campania region 45 1 
BENEVENTO 
s 
20 o 20 Kilometers 
_ ___ 3 
Fig. 1 .  Campania reg ion :  Mun ic ipa l it ies with animals (buffaloes ,  caUle,  sheep,  goats and p igs)  parasitized by cystic 
echinococcosis. 
reported from the same province (Damiano, 1 964) 
and they are in line with the values reported by 
Garippa et al. (2004) in southern Italy ( 1 3 .30/0) .  
Further researches are  necessary to explain the 
absence of fertile cysts in the cattle. 
In conclusion, the findings of the present survey 
showed that cystic echinococcosis is widespread in 
the Campania region of southern Italy; they repre­
sent an important starting point for further studies 
aimed to the molecular characterization of E. gran­
ulosus strain(s) in buffaloes from Italy, evaluating 
also its/their zoonosic potenti al. 


Cystic echinococcosis in the Campania region (southern Italy)

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

UnissResearch

Archivio della ricerca - Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II