author(s)
Omer Mohi U Din Sofi, Stuti Vatsya, Rajeev Ranjan Kumar, AK Upadhyay and Seema Agrawal

abstract
Considering the zoonotic importance of Echinococcus granulosus, micrometry of the hooks of protoscolices of E. granulosus (G5 genotype) was done to develop a baseline data and use it as an alternative tool to identify this genotype. Micrometric study (Mean±SE) of large and small hooks of protoscolices of E. granulosus (G5 genotype) recovered from buffaloes in northern part of India was performed by taking seven 7 parameters viz. total hook length (TL), blade length (BL), blade width (BW), blade guard distance (BGD), handle length (HL), handle width (HW) and total width (TW) {n=25; large hooks (TL=21.66±0.71μm, BL=13.96± 0.62μm, BW=3.94± 0.47μm, BGD=10.99± 0.51μm, HL=7.05± 0.51μm, HW=3.28± 0.46μm, TW=7.15± 0.54μm), small hooks (TL=17.23± 0.55μm, BL=9.23± 0.46μm, BW=2.25± 0.41μm, BGD=7.16± 0.45μm, HL=7.44± 0.33μm, HW=3.29± 0.52μm, TW=6.12± 0.47μm)}. Overall length and handle length of massive and small hooks of protoscolices of E. granulosus (G5 genotype) of buffalo isolates were observed to be higher. The baseline data generated in the study can be used it as a tool to identify this genotype.