Cystic Echinococcosis: An Impact Assessment of Prevention Programs in Endemic Developing Countries in Africa, Central Asia, and South America
Authors: Christofi Elias 
Published: July 2022

Background. Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the tapeworm species, Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (G1), is one of many primary neglected zoonoses worldwide. Within endemic developing countries, CE has multiple effects on animal and human health and well-being. To address such effects, veterinary and human medical sector collaboration on prevention program delivery is essential. To begin preliminary evaluations of county specific prevention programs, a critically appraised topic (CAT) was conducted. It sought to answer: What impact do CE prevention programs have on human and animal disease prevalence, in populations living in endemic developing countries within Africa, Central Asia, and South America? Methodology. The aim was to assess the ability of prevention and control program outputs to produce measurable differences in health, social, and economic outcomes (e.g., improved access to medical services, positive behavioral change, or reduced treatment costs, respectively). Included articles were obtained using predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria from the four databases (CAB Abstracts and Global Health; the National Library of Medicine (PubMed); ScienceDirect; and WHO Institutional Repository of Information Sharing (IRIS)). The articles were appraised using three checklists: the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the Critical Appraisals Skills Programme (CASP), and the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. Results. Ten articles were selected. Geographically, 20% of studies were conducted in South America, 30% in Africa, and 50% in Central Asia. For definitive hosts, dogs, CoproELISA antigen testing, before and after Praziquantel (PZQ) de-worming, was a primary focus. For humans, who are intermediate hosts (IH), disease surveillance methods, namely ultrasound (US), were commonly assessed. Whilst for sheep, also acting as IH, disease prevention methods, such as the EG95 livestock vaccine and de-worming farm dogs, were evaluated. Common to all studies were issues of program sustainability, in terms of regular human US screening, dog de-worming, and annual sheep vaccination. This was attributed to transient and remote human or animal populations; limited access to adequate roads or hospitals; few skilled health workers or veterinarians; an over-reliance on communities to administer preventatives; and limited resources. Conclusion. Despite variations in result validity and collection periods, useful comparisons of CE endemic countries produced key research and program recommendations. Future research recommendations included testing the significance of multiple program outcomes in relation to prevalence (e.g., the social outcome: behavioral change), further research on the impact of livestock vaccinations, and the CE transmission role of waterways and sanitation. Program recommendations included calculating and distinguishing between stray versus owned dog populations; formal representation of internal and external stakeholder interests through institutional organization; establishing sustainable guidelines around the frequency of PZQ and vaccination administration; improved veterinary-human medical training and resource sharing; and combined prevention methods and multiple canine disease management.