Echinococcosis - Kazakhstan: (AM)

Date: 25 Aug 2009
Source: IA "kt.kz" [trans. Corr.ATS, edited]
<http://www.kt.kz/index.php?lang=rus&uin=1133168635&chapter=1153495275>


An official responsible for prevention of parasitic and vector borne
diseases in the region has informed the news agency that there was
2.8-fold increase in the incidence of hydatid disease over the past 7
months.

He also reported that there are cases among children, and these cases
have a particularly severe course. The frequent routes of infection
are contacts with wild carnivores during hunting and consumption of
contaminated water, berries and greens in the wild.

Any organ can be affected, but the most frequent are the liver (in
43.2 percent of cases), the lungs (in 42.3 percent of cases) and the
brain (in 14.5 percent of cases).

The recommended prophylaxis is to avoid close contact with dogs, limit
garden activities, wash berries and greens properly before
consumption, and boil water.