title: Cystic echinococcosis in sub-Saharan Africa.
abstract: Cystic echinococcosis is regarded as endemic in sub-Saharan Africa; however, for most countries only scarce data, if any, exist. For most of the continent, information about burden of disease is not available; neither are data for the animal hosts involved in the lifecycle of the parasite, thus making introduction of preventive measures difficult. Available evidence suggests that several species or strains within the Echinococcus granulosus complex are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and that these strains might be associated with varying virulence and host preference. Treatment strategies (chemotherapy, percutaneous radiological techniques, but mainly surgery) predominantly target active disease. Prevention strategies encompass anthelmintic treatment of dogs, slaughter hygiene, surveillance, and health-educational measures. Existing data are suggestive of unusual clinical presentations of cystic echinococcosis in some parts of the continent, for which the causes are speculative.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital of University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wahlers
authors.forename: Colin N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zeyhle
authors.forename: Mohammed E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ocaido
authors.forename: Cornelis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stijnis
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romig
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: Martin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grobusch
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence