Abstract
Echinococcosis is a severe zoonosis that endangers the health of herdsmen in China’s western provinces. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of this disease and identify potential factors associated with human echinococcosis among herding families.A cross-sectional study was conducted in five provinces in western China from May 1, 2016 to November 30, 2016, and 1500 herding families participated in the study. A total of 1211 completed questionnaires were analyzed. The prevalence of Cystic echinococcosis (CE) among surveyed herding families was 1.55%. The results of multivariate analysis revealed that the sheep immunization (OR=0.35, 95%CI 0.21-0.58), being concerned about family members echinococcosis (OR=0.49, 95%CI 0.28-0.84) were protective factors, while allowing dogs to roam free (OR=3.17, 95%CI 1.89-5.31), feeding dogs with viscera (OR=3.04, 95%CI 1.83, 5.03), slaughter at home (OR=3.53, 95%CI 2.04-6.12), drinking non-boiled water (OR=2.15, 95%CI 1.28-3.63), eating raw vegetables (OR=1.87, 95%CI 1.13-3.10), not washing hands before meals (OR=3.08, 95%CI 1.68-5.65), and often seeing stray dogs (OR=2.60 95%CI 1.38-4.91) and wild animals (OR=1.92, 95%CI 1.17-3.14) near habitations were more associated with increased risk of infection.Immunizing sheep, appropriately managing domestic and stray dogs, and improving living environments and behavioral factors may help to reduce the risk of human echinococcosis in western China.
Highlights
Echinococcosis, called hydatid disease, is a zoonotic parasitic disease associated with economic losses in the livestock industry and serious human health risks [1]
Immunizing sheep, appropriately managing domestic and stray dogs, and improving living environments and behavioral factors may help to reduce the risk of human echinococcosis in western China
Ninety patients who had been diagnosed with human echinococcosis were identified among the surveyed families
Summary
Echinococcosis, called hydatid disease, is a zoonotic parasitic disease associated with economic losses in the livestock industry and serious human health risks [1]. There are over 1 million people infected with echinococcosis worldwide at any given time [2]. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus is the most common form identified in humans in the global context [3]. Human echinococcosis has a long incubation period and complicated transmission routes [4]. Common definitive hosts include dogs, wolves, fox and other carnivorous animals [5]. Large numbers of adult hydatid parasites are often identified in the small intestine of definitive host animals. Intermediate hosts, which include herbivorous and omnivorous animals [6], eat eggs or proglottid from polluted soil, water, pasture, etc. Humans are accidental intermediate hosts and, similar to other intermediate hosts, acquire infection via the fecaloral route; humans do not participate in the transmission cycle [7]
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