Spleen hydatidosis in sheep from north Jordan

A total of 380 ewes of different age groups were inspected for spleen hydatidosis during the summer of 1985. Of these, 7.6% had cysts in the spleen. There was an increase in the prevalence of the disease with increasing age of the animal, reaching 11.8% in greater than or equal to 8-year-old ewes. Out of all the animals with spleen hydatidosis, 61.5% were found to have fertile cysts and, when classified, 46.7% were found to be fertile with a mean total number of protoscolices of 13.4 x 10(3) per cyst. The majority of the protoscolices were found to be viable (74%). Spleen hydatidosis which is mainly solitary seems to be secondary to the involvement of the liver or the liver and lung simultaneously. The importance of these aspects of spleen hydatidosis are discussed.