Advances and prospective in diagnosis of hydatidosis in farm animals

Hydatidosis (Echinococcosis) is one of serious and pervasive parasitic disease in farm animals and humans. It is caused by the tapeworm cysts containing the larval stages of the Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus, family: Taeniidae), which is found in the small intestine of canids. Metacestode parasite can infect several organs in intermediate hosts (farm animals and humans), leading to hydatid cysts (HC). The diagnosis and identification of E. granulosus infection in animals are required for surveillance, epidemiological studies, and control of hydatidosis in endemic, emerging, or re-emerging transmission zones. There are various types of diagnostic assays of hydatidosis as antigen testing, ELISA, indirect hemagglutination, and complement fixation tests. Various types of diagnostic imaging examinations are used for HC. Since HC has a rather low diagnostic sensitivity, particularly in early infections, the diagnosis in livestock still mostly relies on post-mortem inspection because serodiagnostics are inadequate for accurate pre-mortem diagnosis. The genetic identification of the species and genotypes responsible for hydatidosis is crucial for confirming diagnostics, to understand the vectors of parasite transmission, and for the implementation of focused control measures. Efforts will be required to improve the production of particular antigens and antibodies for serological diagnostics of hydatidosis. Therefore, the present review shows the advanced approaches of radiology, serodiagnosis, molecular assay, genotypes and proteomic analysis for diagnosing E. granulosus infection in farm animals, offering conclusions, and suggests recommendations for further prospective improving specific antigen and antibody production for serological diagnosis.