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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Cystic echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease, is a significant parasitic zoonosis
with public health implications, albeit often neglected. In Portugal, data on this zoonosis are scarce
despite being a mandatory notifiable disease in both humans and animals. To assess the impact of
cystic echinococcosis on both livestock and humans, we compiled data from slaughterhouse records
of ruminants, human hospitalizations, and confirmed cases of human echinococcosis. Overall, a total
of 298 cases of cystic echinococcosis were identified in ruminants slaughtered from national farms
for human consumption in Portugal between 2008 and 2022, comprising 192 cases in ovines, 95 in
bovines, and 11 in caprines. Echinococcosis led to 582 hospitalizations in Portuguese public hospitals,
with an average hospital stay of 11 days (±15.66), and resulted in 13 deaths (2.23%) from 2008 to 2018.
Each infected animal was associated with a 7% increase in the incidence rate of human hospitalization
(p = 0.002, IRR = 1.070, 95% CI: 1.025–1.117). Additionally, for every 100,000 person-years observed
between 2008 and 2018, the total number of hospitalizations was 0.528. Residence in the Alentejo
region was associated with a 5.3-fold increase in the incidence rate of human hospitalizations and an
8-fold higher risk of death from echinococcosis.
Description
Research Areas: Veterinary Sciences
Keywords
Echinococcus granulosus Hydatid cyst Hospitalizations Slaughtered animals Public health Zoonosis Prevalence
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Alho AM, Dias MC, Cardo M, Aguiar P, de Carvalho LM. 2023. The Evolution of Cystic Echinococcosis in Humans and Ruminants in Portugal:A One Health Approach. Veterinary Sciency, 10(9):584. doi:10.3390/vetsci10090584
Publisher
MDPI