Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a parasitic zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. The liver ultrasonography can be considered as the gold standard for the in vivo diagnosis detection of CE. Nevertheless, control programs against E. granulosus are considered long-term actions that require an integrated approach and the high expenditure of time and financial resources. This parasitosis still causes severe economic losses both in human healthcare and in the entire livestock breeding system, with loss in milk, meat, and wool production. Considering the impact of this zoonosis in the modern sheep’s breeding system, a reliable hepatic ultrasound could represent an innovative strategy to control and even eradicate the disease in sheep farms. Based on these considerations, the present study aimed to evaluate a fast-focused technique for hepatic CE detection in different sheep breeds and compare the performance of the latter with another fast-scan (previously evaluated in Sarda sheep breed), the complete ultrasound liver examination, and the anatomopathological examination.
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