Taenia solium in Europe: Still endemic?
The pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, causes an important economic and health burden, mainly in rural or marginalized communities of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin-America. Although improved pig rearing conditions seem to have eliminated the parasite in most Western European countries, little is known about the true endemicity status of T. solium throughout Europe. Three recent reviews indicate that autochthonous human T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis may be possible in Europe, but that current peer-reviewed literature is biased towards Western Europe. Officially reported data on porcine cysticercosis are highly insufficient. Favourable conditions for local T. solium transmission still exist in eastern parts of Europe, although the ongoing integration of the European Union is speeding up modernisation and intensification of the pig sector. Further evidence is urgently needed to fill the gaps on the European T. solium endemicity map. We urge to make human cysticercosis notifiable and to improve the reporting of porcine cysticercosis.
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: brechtdv@gmail.com.
Brecht
B
Devleesschauwer
Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
Alberto
A
Allepuz
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Veronique
V
Dermauw
Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Maria V
MV
Johansen
Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
Minerva
M
Laranjo-González
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium; Institute of Health and Society (IRSS), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
G Suzanne A
GS
Smit
Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-Demeter, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Smaragda
S
Sotiraki
Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Chiara
C
Trevisan
Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Nicola A
NA
Wardrop
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Pierre
P
Dorny
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Sarah
S
Gabriël
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000923:Anticestodal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000469:parasitology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D012424:Rural Population; D013552:Swine / Q000469:parasitology*; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013622:Taeniasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D015047:Zoonoses
D000923:Anticestodal Agents
Cysticercosis; Epidemiology; Europe; Neurocysticercosis; Taenia solium; Taeniasis