Human echinococcosis is a parasitic disease caused by tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus.
The two most important forms of the disease in humans are cystic echinococcosis (hydatidosis) and alveolar echinococcosis. Humans are infected through ingestion of parasite eggs in contaminated food, water or soil, or through direct contact with animal hosts.
Echinococcosis is often expensive and complicated to treat and may require extensive surgery and/or prolonged drug therapy. Prevention programs focus on the deworming of dogs and sheep, which are the definitive hosts. In the case of cystic echinococcosis, control measures also include improved food inspection, slaughterhouse hygiene, and public education campaigns. The vaccination of lambs is currently being evaluated as an additional intervention.
More than 1 million people are affected with echinococcosis at any one time.
WHO estimated in 2015 that echinococcosis caused
19,300
deaths and around
871,000
disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) globally each year.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which also serves as the regional office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO), considers hydatidosis or cystic echinococcosis a priority in the Americas region and has actually included it in the Plan of Action for the Elimination of Neglected Infectious Diseases and Post-elimination Actions 2016-2022 (CE158/19), paying special attention to the surveillance, diagnosis, management, and prevention of human cases.
Through the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA/VPH), PAHO has been supporting the South American Initiative for the Control and Surveillance of Cystic Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis, which is a group of multidisciplinary experts (veterinarians, doctors, biologists, etc.) from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Their goal is to support the development of strategies to control this disease. It's important to note that the 1st Constitutive Meeting of the Initiative took place in the city of Montevideo (Uruguay) in 2004.
More recently, a permanent group has been formed with the officials responsible for the national programs of the aforementioned countries who, under the coordination of PANAFTOSA/SPV-PAHO/WHO and technically supported by the Initiative's experts, approved the Regional Program for the Elimination of Hydatidosis/Cystic Echinococcosis 2020-2029, with the goal of harmonizing the strategic lines of action and monitoring progress in the fight against this disease in the countries of the Americas.
