Updates on cystic echinococcosis (CE) in Italy.
An update on Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) diffusion in Italy during 2003-2005 is reported. CE seems to have a sporadic diffusion in the northern part of the country where this disease plays a minor role (prevalence < 1%). Recent investigations have shown the occurrence of CE cases in humans from the mountains between Reggio Emilia and Modena, with an average year incidence between 9.4 and 5.6/100,000. In Abruzzo prevalences in sheep and cattle are 20.2% and 15.3%, with a fertility of 4.6% and 1.3%, respectively. In the same region, G1 and G3 strains were identified and a prevalence of 31% in dogs was found with CaELISA. In Campania, CE prevalence was 14.8% in cattle, with no viable cysts recovered, and 10.5% in water buffaloes, with a fertility of 1.4%. Biotechnologies allowed to find G1 and G3 strains in water buffaloes. In Sicily, CE was found in 67.1% of cattle, with a fertility of 4%, and in 57.6% of sheep, with 9.2% of viable cysts. Biomolecular investigations have found G1 strain in sheep and cattle. In dogs, a prevalence of 5.6% for Echinococcus granulosus was reported. In Sardinia CE prevalence was 75.3% in sheep and 41.5% in cattle, with a fertility of 10.3% and 2.6%, respectively. CE was found also in 9.4% of pigs, with fertility of 6.5%. The G1 strain was recovered in sheep and cattle while the G7 in pigs.
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Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Sezione Parassitologia e Malattie Parassitarie, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000469:parasitology; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016266:Food Parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008460:Meat / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D019596:Wolves / Q000469:parasitology; D015047:Zoonoses