Echinococcus infections in the Baltic region.
In the Baltic countries, the two zoonotic diseases, alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by Echinococcus multilocularis, and cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus, are of increasing public health concern. Observations from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania indicate that the distribution of both parasites is wider in the Baltics than previously expected. In this paper, we review and discuss the available data, regarding both parasitoses in animals and humans, from the Baltic countries and selected adjacent regions. The data are not easily comparable but reveal a worrisome situation as the number of human AE and CE cases is increasing. Despite improvements in diagnostics and treatment, AE has a high morbidity and mortality in the Baltic region. For the control of both zoonoses, monitoring transmission patterns and timely diagnosis in humans as well as the development of local control programs present major challenges.
Clinic of Infectious, Chest Diseases, Dermatovenereology and Allergology, Vilnius University and University Hospital Santariškių Clinics, Lithuania.
Audronė
A
Marcinkutė
Department of Infectious Diseases, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės Street 18, 47181 Kaunas, Lithuania. Electronic address: minsar@lva.lt.
Mindaugas
M
Šarkūnas
Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia.
Epp
E
Moks
Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia.
Urmas
U
Saarma
Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Pikka
P
Jokelainen
Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Salaspils, Latvia.
Guna
G
Bagrade
Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia.
Sniedze
S
Laivacuma
Santariškių Clinics, Vilnius University, Lithuania.
Kęstutis
K
Strupas
Santariškių Clinics, Vilnius University, Lithuania.
Vitalijus
V
Sokolovas
Institute of Parasitology, University of Zürich, Switzerland.
Peter
P
Deplazes
D000818:Animals; D001454:Baltic States / Q000453:epidemiology; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control
Echinococcosis; Echinococcus granulosus; Echinococcus multilocularis; Emerging infectious diseases; Epidemiology; Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania; Zoonoses