Human infection with dicrocoelium dendriticum in Riyadh district [Saudi Arabia]

ABSTRACT

During one academic year, a total of 1196 patients refereed to Parasitology Laboratory from King Abdel-Aziz University Hospital, 121 patients were positive for D. dendriticum. The majority were Saudis and only 32 of the 121 patients had true dicrocoeliasis as detected by re-examination after three days of a liver-free diet. The other patients had false dicrocoeliasis. The infection was influenced by the patients behaviors. The Saudis consumed more sheep meat during a month Du-El-Heja and Haj and Feast. The examination of the slaughtered sheep at the governmental slaughterhouses showed that the majority of the patients had liver infection [9-24%] with the lancet liver fluke