Echinococoza chistică umană în Republica Moldova: studiu epidemiologic

Abstract

Background: Echinococcosis is a zooantroponosis that affects the population of the Republic of Moldova which is adjacent to the Mediterranean region where the cystic echinococcosis is an endemic disease. Material and methods: The article presents the results of the retrospective epidemiological study of 4703 cases of human cystic echinococcosis, registered in Moldova during the period of 1980-2010. Results: The results of the study of the seroprevalence of 1838 serum samples, collected from the country’s population have been presented. As a result of the given research it has been established that in the Republic of Moldova echinococcosis/hidatidosis refers to endemic zooantroponosis, the registered average incidence of which is 4.3 cases per 100 000 of population, and has a trend of the annual growth rate of 4.7%. The following basic epidemiological features of this disease can be distinguished: an uneven distribution of the morbidity in the country (hyperendemic regions are in the Western part of the country, on the banks of the Prut river, mainly the climatic and geographic areas of the South); predominantly the rural population of the age 0-30 years old is affected, commonly men are affected more often, contacts with dogs and other domestic animals being the factors of transmission in most cases of the morbidity. Conclusions: The performed study suggests that the existing system of epidemiological surveillance of echinococcosis does not guarantee the ending of the growing number of the morbidity cases, it needs improving and adapting to the new economic relations.