Environmental contamination by Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato eggs in soil from Sulaimani province - Kurdistan, Iraq

The main goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence and the percentage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (E. granulosus s.l.) In soil samples, as well as its potential impact on the environmental contamination, in the Kurdistan-Iraq using microscopical examination. A total of 500 soil samples was collected from the environment in four different areas (Sulaimani city, Haalabja, Kalar, and Rzgari) and examined microscopically for the presence of taeniid eggs in the Sulaimani Governorate. The parasite eggs were recovered from soil samples using two isolation techniques a flotation technique (modified Sheather’s solution; specific gravity: d = 1.27) and sedimentation technique (formal-ether). The sediments of the sedimentation were collected for Copro-PCR to detect the egg of Echinococcus species through DNA using previously used primers designed to amplify a partial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COX1) gene. The result of microscopical examination shows a high prevalence rate of Echinococcus granulosus egg in soil samples overall in Sualimani governorate was 25 (5%) while the prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus egg in soil samples according to the district area were 8%, 6%, 4 and 3% in Rzgari, Sulaimani, Kalar and Halabja respectively. The positive samples (n = 25) were selected for molecular confirmation, the DNA was extracted from the sediment of the positive samples and 22 (88%) of the samples were successfully amplified the suspected band 444 bp by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In conclusion, the soil of the Sulaimani governorate was potentially contaminated with E. granulosus egg, which is a potential source of the human hydatid disease.