ACQUAINTANCE OF TEMERIN CITIZENS WITH ECHINOCOCOSIS AS THE CURRENT ISSUE

Abstract

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease spread worldwide. The causative agent of the disease is a tapeworm Echinococcus spp.. Primary hosts are animals from the family Canidae and rarely Felidae and intermediate hosts are humans as well as domestic and wild ungulates. In Serbia, incidence of echinococcosis is a particularly high, which is due to poor education of pig breeders, inadequate production practice and lack of appropriate zoohygienic conditions and animal waste management. Pigs are among the major intermediate hosts of Echinococcus in Temerin, and people are most frequently affected during the periods of pig slaughter (lungs and liver are affected by the metacestode stage of Echinococcus). The primary host becomes infected by consuming infested organs, whilst an intermediate host becomes infected by oral intake of eggs excreted by the primary host in the feces. During pork examination for trichinosis at the veterinary clinic “BMV”, the customers reported cystic changes in the liver and lungs. Moreover, massive echinococcosis was diagnosed on the farm in pigs at slaughter. Very often, when noticing such changes in the  organs, consumers tend to throw them away to dogs. Most likely, the citizens are poorly informed about the echinococcosis and its potential consequences. The aim of this research is to establish how much the citizens of Temerin municipality are informed about echinococcosis and to properly inform pig breeders that keeping dogs and pigs in cohabitation may enable direct transmission of parasites from defi nitive to intermediate hosts. Data were collected by using pre-formulated questionnaire. Te questionnaire was completed by 100 randomly selected people, and the results were statistically analyzed. Only 21% of respondents consider that they are acquainted with echinococcosis, and among them, every third person properly manages cystic organs suspect for echinococcosis. Forty-four respondents in Temerin municipality had an opportunity to see aff ected organs during pig slaughter, but only 14 of them acted correctly, while only 22.73% knew that a man could get infected from dogs. Of the entire sample population, 50 respondents had a dog, and only 13 of them regularly apply helminth eradication measures. The results obtained according to respondents’ answers indicated very sparse knowledge on this issue among Temerin citizens, strongly suggesting the need for an appropriate education strategy.