CHARACTERIZATION OF CAMEL ( CAMELUS BACTRIANUS ) ECHINOCOCCOSIS FROM SOUTHERN MONGOLIA

A total 22 (30.5%) camels were infected with 34 echinococcal cysts out of 72 slaughtered camels in Khurmen soum of Southgobi province. The prevalence of infection in camels between 5-7 years (14/22) was 18.2-22.7% and 8 years camels (6/22) were 27.3%. The fertile cyst rate was 40.9% and sterile cyst rate was 22.7%. Camel cystic echinococcosis cyst status was fertile, sterile, abscessed and calcified. Most of the cysts were located in the lungs 54.5%, liver 27.3% and lung-liver 18.2% and were spherical in shape, unilocular and 1-3 cysts located in lung and liver of one camel, cyst diameter was 2-10 cm and with cyst fluid ranging from 1 to 200 ml. Camel echinococcal cysts status and appearance were revealed as age dependent, as older camels echinococcal cysts were revealed as calcified statistically significant (p=0.0458). Histologically, leucocyte infiltration and mild hepatocellular degeneration and infiltration in the liver were noticed. In lungs, there was proliferation of fibrous connective tissue and infiltration of mononuclear cells.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was carried out in Khurmen soum of Southgobi province in Mongolia December, 2013.In total 72 camels were slaughtered at outside.While recording the number of infected organs, cyst count, other information on the carcass, is including its sex, age.Hydatid cyst characterization: The infected organs from each positive animal were collected and recorded including the cyst location, morphology and volume of the fluid contents.Of the collected samples, individual cyst was carefully, opened and examined to identify whether it was a hydatid cyst, whether it was a fertile, sterile or calcified.After opening, the cyst fluid was aspirated by using 1-20 ml syringe to measure the volume of the cyst fluid.A drop of the cyst fluid was placed on the microscope with x10 to x40 objectives.For clear vision a drop of 0.1% aqueous eosin solution was added to equal volume of cyst fluid on microscope slide with the principle that viable protoscolices should completely or partially exclude the dye while the dead ones take  1-4).Most of the cysts were located in the lungs 54.5%, liver 27.3% and lung-liver 18.2% and were spherical in shape, unilocular and 1-3 cysts located in lung and liver of one camel, cyst diameter was 2-10 cm and with cyst fluid ranging from 1 to 200 ml (Table 1).Camel echinococcal cysts status and appearance were revealed as age dependent, as older camels echinococcal cysts were revealed as calcified statistically significant (p=0.0458).The cysts were surrounded by outer fibrous layer over the inner germinal layer and filled with clear hydatid fluid.Histologically, leucocyte infiltration and mild hepatocellular degeneration and infiltration in the liver were noticed (Figure 6).In lungs, there was proliferation of fibrous connective tissue and infiltration of mononuclear cells (Figure 5).The cysts were surrounded by outer fibrous layer over the inner germinal layer and filled with clear hydatid fluid.Histologically, leucocyte infiltration and mild hepatocellular degeneration and infiltration in the liver were noticed (Figure 6).In lungs, there was proliferation of fibrous connective tissue and infiltration of mononuclear cells (Figure 5).The cysts were surrounded by outer fibrous layer over the inner germinal layer and filled with clear hydatid fluid.Histologically, leucocyte infiltration and mild hepatocellular degeneration and infiltration in the liver were noticed (Figure 6).In lungs, there was proliferation of fibrous connective tissue and infiltration of mononuclear cells (Figure 5).The range in the number of cysts was 1-48 in infected animals.The majority of the camels had 1-5 cysts, with 21.9%, 11.6% and 5.6% of infected camels having 6-10, 11-20 and 21 or more cysts respectively.There was a direct relationship between the rate and intensity of infection and host age.The fertility rate of lung cysts (69.7%) was higher than that of liver cysts (58.7%) and other organs (50.0%) whilst the viability rate of protoscoleces of liver fertile cysts (80.3%) was significantly higher than that of lung cysts (55.8%) and other organs (57.1%) [2].

CONCLUSION
The current study shows not only the positive relation of camel age and cyst size, but also viability rate of cysts.High fertility rate of liver cyst suggest the potential better metabolism of liver cells may attract the cysts to be localized in the liver, eventually leads better and faster growth of cysts.

Figure 1 .Figure 3 .
Figure 1.Echinococcal cyst in liver of camel Figure 2. Calcified cyst in lung of camel

Table 1 List of camel with echinococcal cyst in Khurmen soum of Southgobi province No. of infected camels
Camelus bacttirianus in North Xinjiang 185 out of 375 camels were positive, the infection rate was 49.3%.The metacestodes parasitized mainly in the liver and lung.The fertile cyst rate was 39.2%, the fertile cyst-carrying rate of camels was 34.8%.The cyst wall was relatively thin and the cysts located singly on the surface of liver.
[9]]USSIONPrevious studies only reported prevalence rate of camel echinococcosis and species of Echinococcus in Mongolia[10].Both CE and AE have highest prevalence rates in western and northwestern China.Prevalence of CE in camel was 24.6-35% in Inner Mongolia of China, 2008[9].Chai J, (1998) reported E.garnulosus infection in