Detection of Anti-Echinococcus granulosus Antibodies in Humans: An Update from Pakistan

Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato that causes economic losses by affecting livestock and also poses a public health threat worldwide. The present study is the first retrospective report on the seroprevalence of anti-E. granulosus antibodies in humans in Pakistan. The study used data from 93 blood analysis reports of patients suspected of having CE from different medical centers in Lahore, Pakistan. Out of 93 sera samples, 20 (21.5%) were seropositive, and higher seropositivity (17.2%) was recorded with the indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) than with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The findings indicated that age, gender, and year had no significant relationship with the seropositivity of CE. The current study provides directions towards the management of the disease in the near future in Pakistan.

Seroprevalence of Human Cystic Echinococcosis in Sanandaj City, Kurdistan Province, Western Iran

Background and Aims: Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) is a cestode parasite that causes cystic hydatid disease in humans worldwide. Iran is one of the endemic regions for infection that indicate the importance and presence of infection in this country. Therefore, the current research aimed to characterize the seroprevalence of human cystic echinococcosis in Sanandaj city, Kurdistan province, western Iran. Materials and methods: Totally, 500 serum samples were collected from patients referred to different health centers in Sanandaj city using cluster sampling in 2018-2019. All the sera were examined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. Results: The seroprevalence of human hydatidosis was reported at 2.2% by ELISA test in Sanandaj city. This rate was 9 (1.9%) in women and 2 (0.4) in men. The age group of 20-30 years old had the highest positivity rate (1.0%). Also, the subjects that consumed home slaughtered meat had the highest infection rate at 4 (0.8%). There was no significant difference regarding factors studied such as sex, education, residence, consumed water, keeping a dog, and the seropositivity. Conclusions: Seroprevalence of human cystic echinococcosis in Sanandaj city is lower than the general prevalence in Iran. Our research team hopes to provide accurate data on the prevalence of hydatidosis in Sanandaj encourage more extensive research to help prevent this parasite in Iran and worldwide.

Human Cystic Echinococcosis in Lebanon: A Retrospective Study and Molecular Epidemiology

Purpose Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic parasitic disease that constitutes a public health challenge and a socio-economic burden in endemic areas worldwide. No specific surveillance system of CE infections in humans exists in Lebanon. The incidence and trends over time have not been documented. The current study aimed to assess the demographic and epidemiologic features of human CE surgical cases over a 14-year period in the five main regions of Lebanon. Methods From 2005 to 2018, a total of 894 surgically confirmed cases of hydatidosis were recorded from five anatomy and pathology laboratories. Results The mean annual surgical incidence was 1.23/100,000 inhabitants. Over the span of these years, the incidence increased from 0.53 to 1.94 cases/100,000 inhabitants in 2005 and 2018, respectively. CE is present in Lebanon with an uneven distribution from one region to the other with higher prevalence in Bekaa (29.0%), a rural area where sheep raising is widespread. Human CE cases were more common in females (60.1%) than in males (39.9%) and a high burden of infection was reported for the age group of 30–39 years. Besides, 66.7% of the cases expressed only liver complications whereas, 20.5% showed predilection towards lungs. The 7.8% of cases presented cysts in other organs, and 1.3% showed multiple localizations. Additionally, predominant involvement of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto was recorded in human infections. Comparison of Echinococcus granulosus s.s. populations from different Mediterranean countries also revealed high gene flow among this region and sharing of alleles. Conclusion The current study is a step forward to fill the gap of knowledge for the hydatidosis in Lebanon where the lack of epidemiological data and control measures have resulted in higher incidence of human CE. Graphic Abstract