Histopathological changes associated with E. granulosus echinococcosis in food producing animals in Punjab (India)

Cystic echinococcosis due to Echinococcus granulosus is a serious public health and economic concern in India. The disease is endemic in most of the food producing animals such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pigs in the country. In this study, tissues comprising of pieces of liver and lungs were collected in 10 % formal buffered saline. The formalin fixed tissues (liver and lungs) from 10 cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pigs each were selected and further processed by acetone benzene method for histopathological examinations. The cysts were surrounded by outer fibrous layer over the inner germinal layer and filled with clear hydatid fluid. Echinococcal protoscolices were also noticed in some of the sections. Histologically, slight hemorrhage, leucocyte infiltration and mild hepatocellular degeneration in the liver were noticed. The adjacent hepatic paraenchyma showed atrophy, variable degeneration and infiltration. The parenchyma adjacent to cysts was markedly congested and showed multiple small haemorrhagic areas. In lungs, there was proliferation of fibrous connective tissue and infiltration of mononuclear cells.