Frozen hydatid cysts can replace incineration and sterilize cysts

Abstract

In many countries of Mediterranean area, abattoirs are not equipped with incinerators. Thisled us to find an alternative that may be the freezing of organs before they are thrown into landfills. In this sense, the aim of this study was to evaluate the scolicidal effect of refrigeration at 4 °C and freezing at -18 °C. Different refrigeration times (24h and 48h) and freezing times (3h, 6h and 9h) have been used in triplicate. Refrigeration at 4 °C was not sufficient to completely kill protoscolex. For 24 hours, the mortality rate did not exceed 44.44%. After 48 hours, mortality rates varied from 20.13% to 65.49%. The freezing at -18 °C for 3 hours remained insufficient to kill all protoscoleces, although the mortality rate increased to 87.28%. However, freezing at -18 °C for 6 and 9 hours has been found to be very effective in killing all protoscoleces present in the hydatid liquids. The present study demonstrates that freezing organs seized for hydatidosis at -18 °C for at least 6 hours may be an alternative to incineration and will sterilize hydatid cysts before they are dumped.

Keywords

• Freezing
• Hydatidosis
• Scolicidal
• Slaughterhouse