author(s)
Murtaza M, Suzan A Al-Azizz, Abdulhameed FM and Kadhim L

abstract
The current study focused on slaughtered sheep in Basrah city which infected with hydatid cysts from the period between June 2016 till February 2017. The total sheep examined 1145 and169 were found to be positive for hydatidosis. In current study, the prevalence was estimated to be 14.75, and the female sheep 123 (22.9) was found more infected with hydatid cysts than sheep male 46 (7.5). The highest number of infected sheep with hydatid cysts was observed in July and August while the lowest number was observed between September and October. Distribution of cystic hydatidosis according to the cyst localization indicated the livers and lungs were the most frequently infected visceral organs in sheep. The findings of this study demonstrated that hydatid cysts are common and widely distributed in sheep and they might play an important role in the life cycle and transmission of this zoonosis in Basrah province.