Echinococcosis

A special issue of Parasitologia (ISSN 2673-6772).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 14717

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técninas (CONICET), Fundación Mundo Sano, Buenos Aires C1127AAR, Argentina
Interests: epidemiology and control of soil-transmitted helminths (STH); STH diagnostics; control and prevention of echinococcosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Echinococcosis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects more than 1 million people living with this disease at one time, manifested mostly as cystic or alveolar echinococcosis (CE or AE, respectively). Many of these individuals will develop severe clinical syndromes, which are life-threatening if left untreated, and there are an estimated 19,300 deaths and around 871,000 disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) globally each year. As this is a zoonotic disease, there are also costs associated with cystic echinococcosis that are estimated to be US$ 3 billion for treatment and losses to the livestock industry (1). The World Health Organization´s response to this disease aims at strengthening control and prevention through the creation of an Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis (WHO-IWGE), in collaboration with strategic partners and relevant sectors (2). Therefore, the aim of the Special Issue is to gather studies that could help with the different aspects of the disease that need to be further developed, according to the new roadmap for NTDs 2020–2030 (3), namely:

  • Diagnosis and associated clinical management of echinococcosis for the elaboration of technical manuals with practical applicability;
  • Collection and mapping of epidemiological data in order to detect risk areas, establish priorities, and monitor progress and evaluate outcomes;
  • Control measures taking dogs and livestock into consideration as part of a One Health approach (including innovative treatment and vaccines).

Submitted works could focus specifically on one of these aspects, or can describe control and prevention programs that take all of these aspects into consideration.   

1) WHO webpage. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/echinococcosis. Accessed on February 9th 2021.

2) WHO, 2017. Meeting of the WHO Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis (WHO-IWGE), Geneva, Switzerland, 15–16 December 2016. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2017 (WHO/HTM/NTD/NZD/2017.01).

3) WHO 2021. Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a roadmap for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030. Overview. Geneva, Switzeerland: World Health Organization 2020 (WHO/UCN/NTD/2020.01).

Dr. Maria Victoria Periago
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • cystic and alveolar echinococcosis
  • diagnosis
  • clinical management
  • epidemiological data
  • One Health
  • treatment
  • vaccines

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 187 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue: “Echinococcosis”
by Maria Victoria Periago
Parasitologia 2023, 3(1), 13-14; https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia3010002 - 1 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1610
Abstract
Echinococcosis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects more than 1 million people, manifested mostly as cystic or alveolar echinococcosis (CE or AE, respectively) [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Echinococcosis)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

12 pages, 2024 KiB  
Article
A Cross-Sectional Study to Detect Cystic Echinococcosis in Añatuya, Santiago Del Estero (Argentina)
by Héctor Gabriel Avila, Rosa Graciela Cejas, Marta Graciela Cabrera, Mirna Sawicki, Graciela I. Santillán and María Victoria Periago
Parasitologia 2022, 2(4), 326-337; https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia2040027 - 16 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2077
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is endemic in Argentina, and approximately 30% of the national territory has characteristics appropriate for the development of the zoonotic domestic cycle of this disease. This community-wide study was implemented in rural areas of Añatuya, Santiago del Estero (northern Argentina) [...] Read more.
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is endemic in Argentina, and approximately 30% of the national territory has characteristics appropriate for the development of the zoonotic domestic cycle of this disease. This community-wide study was implemented in rural areas of Añatuya, Santiago del Estero (northern Argentina) to determine the presence of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato in the definitive host (dogs) and the presence of CE in humans. Infection data from dogs were obtained through the collection and analysis of fecal samples; these were processed through sedimentation/flotation techniques and PCR. The presence in humans was determined by ultrasound (US) and serology (ELISA confirmed by Western Blot—WB) in the Miel de Palo settlement. A standardized questionnaire was used to investigate potential risk factors for CE; more than half of the studied population carried out activities that favor the maintenance of the cycle. The prevalence of E. granulosus s.l. in dogs from 10 rural settlements, confirmed by PCR, was 4.7% (32/678). The results of the US and serology screening showed a human prevalence of 0.55% (1/183) in Miel de Palo. This prevalence increased to 4.9% (9/183) if imaging-negative but serology-positive (ELISA+WB) individuals are included, as per national guidelines. One of the participants with CE, confirmed by US, was less than 15 years old, which evidences the presence of active transmission. A comprehensive multidisciplinary approach, taking into consideration social, behavioral, sanitary, and environmental aspects intimately tied to the parasite cycle, is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Echinococcosis)
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9 pages, 1108 KiB  
Article
Molecular Detection of Echinococcus granulosus Sensu Stricto in Environmental Dog Faecal Samples from the Magallanes Region, Patagonia, Chile
by Juan Francisco Alvarez, Raúl Ruiz, Juan Ríos and Cristian A. Alvarez Rojas
Parasitologia 2021, 1(4), 238-246; https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia1040025 - 4 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3115
Abstract
Echinococcus granulosus is endemic in the Magallanes region and other areas of Chile. After a successful control programme implemented between 1979 and 2004, dogs’ prevalence decreased from 70% to 0.5%. Since the end of the programme, no prevalence study of canine echinococcosis [...] Read more.
Echinococcus granulosus is endemic in the Magallanes region and other areas of Chile. After a successful control programme implemented between 1979 and 2004, dogs’ prevalence decreased from 70% to 0.5%. Since the end of the programme, no prevalence study of canine echinococcosis has been performed in this region. Dog faecal samples were collected from epidemiological units for DNA isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect E. granulosus. In addition, dog owners were required to answer a questionnaire for a risk factor analysis. We collected 1069 environmental dog faecal samples from 267 urban, 241 periurban, and 61 rural epidemiological units. E. granulosus was found in 11/61 (18%) and 1/241 (0.4%) epidemiological units from rural and periurban areas, respectively. The Ultima Esperanza province showed the highest prevalence with eight out of 16 units with faeces positive to E. granulosus showing a main spatial cluster of canine echinococcosis. None of the risk factors investigated showed a statistical significance with positive units. This study shows the active transmission of the parasite in the Magallanes region, especially in the Ultima Esperanza province, with a possible re-emergence of the parasite. Further studies focusing on the incidence in humans are required together with the reestablishment of the compulsory deworming of dogs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Echinococcosis)
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11 pages, 1651 KiB  
Article
The Diagnosis, Treatment, Surveillance and Control of Cystic Echinococcosis in the Province of Rio Negro: The “One-Health” Model
by Guillermo Mujica, Leonardo Uchiumi, Daniel Araya, Juan Carlos Salvitti, Jose Luis Labanchi, Mariano Sobrino, Eduardo Herrero, Oscar Panomarenko, Patricia Blanco, Gabriel Talmon, Hebe Tissot, Claudia Grizmado, Marcos Arezo, Marcos Seleiman, Carlos Hugo Mercapide and Edmundo Larrieu
Parasitologia 2021, 1(4), 177-187; https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia1040019 - 23 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3088
Abstract
Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is an endemo-epidemic disease in the Rio Negro Province, República Argentina. Due to the number of cases, the length of hospital stays after surgery and its associated mortality, it is a serious public health problem that generates high costs for [...] Read more.
Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is an endemo-epidemic disease in the Rio Negro Province, República Argentina. Due to the number of cases, the length of hospital stays after surgery and its associated mortality, it is a serious public health problem that generates high costs for the health system. Oriented towards its control, primary prevention activities have been carried out since 1980, based on the deworming of dogs and the vaccination of lambs; secondary prevention has consisted in the actively search for cases through serological or ultrasonographic screening; and tertiary prevention has been based on timely treatment, either by surgery or by medical treatment with albendazole. All these prevention activities have been carried out under the concept and strategies of the “One Health” model, through both inter-institutional and interdisciplinary work, as well as with the support, commitment and critical participation of the community. As a result, an important drop has been observed in the prevalence of CE in humans and in its lethality (0.5% in 1997–2020, no deaths in the last two years); moreover, an important decrease has been observed in costs to the health system, due to the reduction of hospitalizations and the number of surgeries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Echinococcosis)
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10 pages, 1879 KiB  
Article
Micro-Epidemiological Investigation of Echinococcus multilocularis in Wild Hosts from an Endemic Area of Southwestern Hungary
by Tibor Halász, Gábor Nagy, István Nagy and Ágnes Csivincsik
Parasitologia 2021, 1(3), 158-167; https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia1030017 - 1 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3209
Abstract
Echinococcus multilocularis is a tapeworm causing severe zoonotic disease in temperate Europe. Between 2018 and 2020, 68 golden jackals and 94 red foxes were investigated to determine the prevalence of E. multilocularis infection and its driving factors. The overall prevalence (golden jackal: 41.2%; [...] Read more.
Echinococcus multilocularis is a tapeworm causing severe zoonotic disease in temperate Europe. Between 2018 and 2020, 68 golden jackals and 94 red foxes were investigated to determine the prevalence of E. multilocularis infection and its driving factors. The overall prevalence (golden jackal: 41.2%; red fox: 12.5%) significantly differed, whereas the mean intensities did not. The spatial scan statistics revealed three significant clusters of E. multilocularis infection. The binary logistic and ordinal regression results revealed that the golden jackal is more likely to become infected than the red fox, and the probability of infection level was also higher in jackals. Our findings highlight the golden jackal’s role, which could be as important as the red fox in the spread of this severe zoonotic agent. This micro-epidemiological approach can advance the knowledge on local drivers which facilitate the spread of E. multilocularis and could cause a relevant public health problem on the continent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Echinococcosis)
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