HYDATIDS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 1 September 1932, Page 10

HYDATIDS

- —— A PREVENTABLE DISEASE (Contributed by the Department, of Health) Hydatids is a. disease which prevails especially in countries such as New Zealand, where man is brought in close contact- with the clog. It is a serious disease for during the last- five years notification lias been received of 272 cases and 78 deaths. During the last 41 years 518 deaths have occurred from this disease in New Zealand. It should be remembered also that hydatid disease when not fatal, usually necessitates a long period of disability and enforced idleness and that the individuals affected are for the most part young men and women engaged in useful agricultural and pastoral pursuits. It commonly dates back to childhood, for hvdatid disease may exist in latent form for twenty years or more. The disease is caused through man or oilier animals swallowing the eggs of a tape-worm, which lives in the intestine of the dog. This tape-worm, which is less than a quarter of an inch m length, may be present in large numbers in the dog, and yet the animal may show no obvious signs of the disease. Eggs of the tape-worm are voided by the dog in large numbers in its excrement. After being passed, eggs remain alive for a long time, but they cannot hatch out and develop unless they enter a human being or some suitable animal by being swallowed. Eggs may get on to pasture and grass, infecting sheep, pigs and cattle, into water, which may infect man or animals ; or on the vegetables, which are eaten uncooked, such as salads, water cress, etc. Eggs cling to the hair of dogs about- their bodies and noses, and thus, if an infected dog is handled or allowed to lick the hands or is fed at mealtimes, tfggs may possibly he carried on the fingers direct to the person’s mouth. Eggs swallowed by man or animals develop, and the parasites bore their way to some organ of the body—the liver, lung, brain, etc. —where they grow into bladders or cysts, which are called hydatids. Dogs become infected bv eating portions of an animal, such as liver or lights, containing hydatids. These hydatids contain many immature parasites which develop into tapeworms in the dog’s intestine, and such an infected dog becomes a source of danger to man and other animals. PREVENTIVE MEASURES The prevention of hydatid disease can lie readily secured by the destruction of all offal (plucks) containing hydatid cysts. Dogs should not he allowed to enter slaughter-houses, nor eat uncooked offal. Drenching, with a suitable wormmedicine, three or four times a year,' of dogs which have to be used about abattoirs or amongst stock in the country, is effective in keeping these animals free from tape-warm. Dog kennels and areas where dogs are chained up should be scalded at intervals with boiling water, which easily kills the eggs of the tapeworm. The excreta of dogs should be regularly collected and burnt. Ownerless and useless dogs are often a source of danger and should be destroyed. Do not allow dogs to enter the house, play with children, lick the hands or face, and never feed them at one’s own meal time nor from utensils used' by human beings. Prevent dogs from access to any water which is used for drinking by man, and never drink any water from unprotected ponds or streams unless it has been boiled.

Keep dogs away from kitchen gardens. If salads are- required, wash thoroughly all such vegetables leaf by leaf in running water. 'lt is safer to avoid salads from unknown and unprotected sources. When the combined effects upon mankind and stock are taken into consideration it is surely worth the while of every farmer and slaughterman to ensure that dogs shall not have access to raw offal.

Remember, the only source of hydatid disease in man is a dog affected with these minute tape-worms. Man cannot be infected by eating the flesh of an animal that lias had hydatids. Never let a dog feed on raw offal; boil it first oi' otherwise destroy it. Those engaged in handling stock and dogs should always remember the special danger of soiled hands and always wash the hands before meals.