Hydatidosis in animals and man in India: An overview

Abstract

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) popularly referred to as hydatidosis, is an important zoonotic infection of global prevalence. It is the most common bladderworm found in food animals. Its economic impact due to productivity losses and viscera condemnation, not worked out so far in India, must be considerable, as the disease is endemic in India and affects all livestock species. In man, the cysts may lodge in vital organs and cause morbidity. In India, developments have not kept pace with the attention and progress on CE elsewhere. The objective of this review is to provide comprehensive information on various aspects of the problem from an Indian perspective. Particular attention was paid to include advances in our understanding of the molecular biology and data generated on genotype frequency. Significant gaps which merit being addressed on priority, as well as control strategies for implementation, have been spelt out.

A Case Series and Literature Review of Alveolar Echinococcosis in Kashmir, India: An Emerging Endemic Zone for Echinococcus multilocularis

“…It is distributed across the Great Himalayas, Pir Panjal, and Zabarwan ranges of mountains, including Dachigam Park [66,[81][82][83]. They feed on voles, mice, rabbits, and other vegetable items [11,66]. Thus, the Kashmir red fox population density determines the sylvatic cycle of E. multilocularis in Kashmir.…”

“…India is in the northern hemisphere and borders several endemic regions of E. multilocularis. CE is endemic in several regions in India, such as Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, and Kashmir; however, AE is not endemic in India [11], and only a few isolated cases have been reported in the past [12][13][14][15]. There has been a rising trend of AE in Kashmir, India, recently [16,17].…”