Mauritania lies between West-Central Africa where human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is considered extremely rare and West Maghreb where CE accounts for a real public health problem. Until 1992, Mauritania was considered as human CE-free even through CE seemed well known in livestock. In 1992, the introduction of ultrasonography led to the diagnosis of the first human CE cases. In 1997, a veterinary study revealed that dogs living around Nouakchott were commonly infected by Echinococcus granulosus. To assess E. granulosus transmission and to identify the most relevant animal reservoir responsible for human CE emerging in Mauritania, a simultaneous eco-epidemiological and molecular biology approach was performed. The fieldwork included sample collection and investigation of relationship between intermediate hosts, definitive hosts and humans. Typing of E. granulosus strains was performed using comparison of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified DNA sequences with one nuclear (BG 1/3) and 2 mitochondrial (COI, NDI) targets. Results show that the 'camel' strain is actually infectious to humans and circulates between intermediate hosts including camels and cattle. It is suggested that preventive measures at slaughtering places could reduce human contamination.

A lesional study on human hydatidosis (localization, fertility of cysts, protoscolex viability, and histological structure) focused on 63 human hydatid cysts from patients operated at CHN of Nouakchott was conducted during the period 1997-2007. The authors report the following results: the annual surgical incidence rate was in the order of 1.2% per 100,000 inhabitants. The lung was the primary localization of cyst (52%) followed by the liver (33%), spleen (4%), brain (3%), heart (2%), breasts (2%), kidney (2%), diaphragm (1%), and peritoneum (1%). The pulmonary cysts were larger and more fertile (76%) with protoscoleces also more viable (70%) compared with liver cysts (67-62%). The histology of hydatid cysts revealed in most cases a histological structure consistent with that described in the literature: thick cuticle, membrane proligeous, and capsules visible.

Cette étude a concerné la prévalence de l’échinococcose au nord de la Mauritanie. Le taux de prévalence de 37 p. 100, relevé chez les dromadaires originaires de la région de Zoairate, a été significativement plus élevé (p < 0,002) que celui de 26 p. 100 obtenu chez les dromadaires de Nouadhibou. En revanche, dans ces mêmes régions, il n’y a pas eu de différences significatives (p < 0,4) entre les taux de prévalence chez les petits ruminants, avec respectivement 5,6 et 4,2 p. 100 chez les ovins, et 3,9 et 7,2 p. 100 chez les caprins. Le taux de fertilité des kystes hydatides a été dans les deux régions respectivement de 69 et 73 p. 100 chez les dromadaires, 41,2 et 42 p. 100 chez les ovins, et 35,7 et 34 p. 100 chez les caprins. Il a été significativement plus élevé (p < 0,0001) chez les dromadaires que chez les petits ruminants. L’infestation hydatique a globalement été caractérisée par la prédominance des localisations pulmonaires chez les dromadaires et hépatiques chez les petits ruminants. Contrairement aux petits ruminants, l’histologie des kystes hydatiques camelins a montré une structure nette avec une cuticule et une membrane proligère bien développées. Les différences entre les taux de prévalence, de fertilité des kystes hydatiques, la diversité des sites de l’infestation, et la structure histologique observée chez les dromadaires, les ovins et les caprins étaient probablement dues à la diversité des génotypes d’Echinococcus granulosus.

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