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Objective: To evaluate coagglutination test in the serum
and urine of sheep for diagnosing sing of hydatidosis.
Design: Experimental study.
Animals: Two rabbits, three dogs and nineteen sheep.
Procedure: Ovine hydatid cysts from affected livers and
lungs, were collected from Ahwaz abattoir (Khozestan
province, Iran). The hydatid fluid (HF) and protoscolces were
aseptically obtained in lab. Hydatid fluid was centrifuged and
injected to rabbits in two steps After then, rabbit hyperimmune
sera were collected. Furthermore, each dog was given 15,000 viable protoscoleces. Less than m two months later, dogs were
autopsied after euthanasia and all Echinococcus granulosus
worms were collected and their eggs were released. Almost,
2000 eggs were orally administred to each (N= 13). The six
other sheep were kept as control. All sheep were bled each
week and their urine samples were collected fortnight. All sera
and urine samples were examined with coagglutination (Co.A)
test. Reu1ts: While sensitivity o. coagglutination test, was nil during five weeks of post-infection (p.i.), its values showed a
biphasic pattern. While, it increased up to 23% in the sixth
week and after then up to 100% in the 12th and 13th week of p.i. it decreased in the following weeks. Specificity of test was 100% throughout the experiment. While examination of urine
in the affected sheep resulted in positive reaction from 6th week of p.i, its sensitivity and the sensitivity gradually
increased up to 100% at 12i1i week of p.i. Furthermore,
specificity of the test for urine of non-infected sheep remained
100%.
Discussion: These results suggest that the time of appearance
of hydatid antigens in serum and urine is approximately alike.
While positive results are very valuable, negative ones do not
rule out hydatidosis. J.Fac. Vet.Med. Univ. Tehran. 60,3:213-
218,2005.