Echinococcosi alveolare: in Europa oltre 4200 casi segnalati negli ultimi 25 anni ed incidenza in crescita

Over the past 25 years, more than 4,200 cases of human alveolar echinococcosis (an infectious disease with a behavior similar to a malignant neoplasm due to the proliferation of the parasite in the internal organs starting from the liver) caused by small tapeworms of Echinococcus multilocularis have been reported in Europe. The parasite usually lives in foxes and small wild rodents, but humans can become infected with the parasite's eggs through hand-to-mouth contact or ingestion of contaminated food/water. The disease in humans is fatal if left untreated.

Almost 70% of cases occurred in Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland, says the first multicentre study coordinated by the ISS and just published by The Lancet Infectious Diseases.  In addition, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia account for a further 21% of cases. In general, the incidence in Europe in the period 2021-2023 was 0.12 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, but the data, say the authors of the study, is probably underestimated.

“This study suggests that alveolar echinococcosis is emerging in almost all countries where the parasite has been found, with two main epicentres in the area of ​​countries bordering the Alps and the Baltic States,” the authors conclude. “Despite the relatively small number of documented cases, the need for lifelong treatment of patients, the psychological burden of the infection, and the necessary surgical operations, which may include liver transplantation, constitute a significant cost, and access to appropriate care may be a problem in countries with limited resources. These data could be used to support surveillance planning for human and animal alveolar echinococcosis, according to a One Health perspective.”

ISS has been identified as European Union Reference laboratory for infections caused by parasites

The Unit of Food-borne and Neglected Parasitic Diseases (PAN), with the support of the Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases Unit (MTV) of the Infectious Diseases Department at ISS, was recently designated by the European Commission (Implementing Regulation EU 2024/2959) as the "European Union Reference Laboratory for Public Health on Helminths and Protozoa" (EURL-PH-HP), whose reference parasitic diseases include alveolar and cystic echinococcosis.