title: Human migration and pig/pork import in the European Union: What are the implications for Taenia solium infections?
abstract: Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is a neglected zoonotic disease complex occurring primarily in developing countries. Though claimed eradicated from the European Union (EU), an increasing number of human neurocysticercosis cases is being detected. Risk factors such as human migration and movement of pigs/pork, as well as the increasing trend in pig rearing with outside access are discussed in this review. The entry of a tapeworm carrier into the EU seems a lot more plausible than the import of infected pork. The establishment of local transmission in the EU is presently very unlikely. However, considering the potential changes in risk factors, such as the increasing trend in pig farming with outdoor access, the increasing human migration from endemic areas into the EU, this situation might change, warranting the establishment of an early warning system, which should include disease notification of taeniasis/cysticercosis both in human and animal hosts. As currently human-to-human transmission is the highest risk, prevention strategies should focus on the early detection and treatment of tapeworm carriers, and should be designed in a concerted way, across the EU and across the different sectors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: sgabriel@itg.be.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabriël
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Dyrlægevej 100, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pozio
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: G S A
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Devleesschauwer
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autòma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autòma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Allepuz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.affiliation: Center for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 MA Bilthoven, Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Giessen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018563:Disease Notification; D005062:European Union; D063426:Human Migration; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013552:Swine; D041201:Taenia solium; D013622:Taeniasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*
keywords: European Union; Human migration; Meat import; Neurocysticercosis; Pig movement; Taenia solium