In the present study, fertility and viability rates of protscoleces (based on vital staining methods and observing flame cells), in addition to infection rate of sheep, goat and cattle to hydatid cyst, were determined.
Of 6900 sheep, 6410 goat and 1727 cattle carcasses, 7.1%, 3.1 % and 7.5%, respectively, were affected with hydatid cyst. Infection rate had a direct relation ship with age and the number of cysts increased with age: fertility rate of hydatid cyst in sheep, goat and cattle were 88%, 61 % and 13% respectively and viability rate of protoscolices were, 83.7%, 67.1% and 60.4%, respectively.
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