[Fertility and viability study of ovine hydatid cysts]. / Estudio de la fertilidad y viabilidad de quistes hidatídicos ovinos.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this work is to analyze the fertility of the hydatid cysts from ovine, animal species of great epidemiological interest in the hydatid disease, and the ability of the gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) as model experimental for the study "in vivo" of this hidatyd disease as preliminary phase of therapeutic studies. METHODS: It has been carried out a study of the fertility and viability of hydatid cysts from lungs and livers of ovine from Castilla and Leon by examination and evaluation of parameters among these is the production of a secondary hydatid disease in laboratory animals. RESULTS: The total cystic index was 8.57 cysts by infested ovine (5.97 cysts by infested lung and 5.57 cysts by infested liver). The fertility percentage obtained in hydatid cysts from ovine with "in vitro" viables protoescoleces was 43.97% being 43.02% a pulmonary cysts and 46.16% in hepatic cysts. The viability of protoscoleces was demonstrated by production of a secondary hydatid disease in 100% of gerbils infested. CONCLUSIONS: It is emphasized the validity of the criteria used to study the viability "in vitro" of the protoescoleces from hydatid cysts of origin ovine. The secondary hydatid produced in gerbil leads us to consider them as experimental animal for investigation "in vivo" of hydatid disease of origin ovine.