Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is recognised worldwide as a neglected disease of public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The objectives of this study were to describe, using a questionnaire survey, the characteristics, attitudes, knowledge, and practices of patients with CE from Basrah Province, Iraq. We interviewed 50 patients, 31 female and 19 male, of whom, 74% originated from rural areas. Approximately half (48%) of the participants reported slaughtering livestock at home for their families’ consumption; 78% indicated the presence of a large number of stray dogs roaming freely about their village; 86% reported that they never boiled water prior to drinking it; and 26% reported not washing vegetables prior to eating them. Although a large proportion of the participants (72%) had heard of hydatid disease prior to becoming ill, over half (57%) were not aware how the disease was transmitted from animals to humans. This study highlighted a gap in health education efforts regarding CE in Southern Iraq, with a lack of counselling of patients on how to prevent reinfection. An intensive control programme should be implemented and founded on health education to reduce CE disease in Basrah.
Highlights
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a neglected disease of public health significance worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries [1]
Once ingested by an intermediate host, the eggs hatch in the small intestine, releasing oncospheres that penetrate the intestinal wall and circulate in the bloodstream to lodge in a vital organ where the cysts slowly grow over a period of several years [3]
There was no significant difference in the location of cysts between women and men
Summary
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a neglected disease of public health significance worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries [1]. The disease is caused by a tapeworm belonging to the genus Echinococcus that is transmitted between carnivores (dogs and wolves: the definitive hosts) and primarily livestock (the intermediate hosts). Humans accidentally acquire the infection usually through consuming food or water contaminated with eggs shed by the definitive host [2]. The highest prevalence of CE in humans is typically found in sheep-raising rural communities, as sheep are considered the most important intermediate host. The emergence of human echinococcosis may be attributed to a change in the local ecology and increasing urbanisation, resulting in exposure of people to infected dogs [6,7]. Several studies have highlighted the role of sociodemographic characteristics, including age, gender, occupation, and level of education, as important factors in the transmission of echinococcosis to humans [8,9,10]
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