title: Epidemiology, impact and control of bovine cysticercosis in Europe: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bovine cysticercosis in Europe has been known for centuries but the data showing the occurrence of this zoonosis are scarce. The aim of this paper is to review and present the current knowledge on bovine cysticercosis in Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic review of studies published between 1990 and November 2014. Qualitative and quantitative data on prevalence, risk factors, burden and interventions were extracted and analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reports on prevalence were available for 23 European countries, mostly from western and central Europe; for a few of these only data before 1990 were available. Prevalence based on meat inspection was generally low (below 6.2% in 95% of the records) and varied between and within countries. Serology and detailed meat inspection provided a higher prevalence range (0.41-14%). Only few studies analysing risk factors were identified. Reported factors related to access to pastures and risky waters, dairy production and uncontrolled human defecation in the proximity of the farm among others. Only one estimate of the economic impact of the disease could be identified. Recommended interventions were focused on increasing diagnostic tests sensitivity or the application of risk based surveillance strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a lack of complete and updated data on most countries, especially in eastern Europe. Further risk factor studies might be needed together with estimates on the burden of the disease in all European countries. Risk-based interventions are being encouraged but current data are limited to guide this approach.
authors: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)-Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain. minervalaranjo@gmail.com.
authors: Minerva
authors: M
authors: Laranjo-González
authors: Department of Animal Sciences and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. brechtdv@gmail.com.|Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. brechtdv@gmail.com.
authors: Brecht
authors: B
authors: Devleesschauwer
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. sgabriel@itg.be.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Gabriël
authors: Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. pdorny@itg.be.|Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. pdorny@itg.be.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Dorny
authors: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)-Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain. alberto.allepuz@uab.cat.|Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain. alberto.allepuz@uab.cat.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Allepuz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors