Abstract

Serological screening for hydatidosis was carried out on sheep slaughtered at the Sokoto abattoir, Northwestern Nigeria. A total of 186 serum samples obtained from randomly selected animals were analysed for antigen-antibody responses using Echinococcus granulosus IgG Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit (RIDASCREEN®). Postmortem inspection for the presence of cyst was also carried out on the selected animals. The study did not observe any antigen-antibody reaction in any of the samples screened and no cyst was found at post-mortem inspection of the selected sheep. The zero prevalence recorded suggests the need to employ some other more sensitive diagnostic techniques to ascertain the result obtained in this study.

Key words: abattoir, hydatodosis, serodiagnosis, sheep, sokoto