Epidemiology of Human Fascioliasis Outbreaks in Iran

Abstract

The increase in number of human fascioliasis and its outbreaks in the last two decades have changed the status of fascioliasis from a zoonosis to an immerging health problem. The infection is found in 61 countries where 160 million peoples are at risk. Fasciola infection in livestock may be found in some parts of Iran with various infection rates in cattle. As the human infection was rarely reported with patchy distribution in some provinces of Iran, the condition was changed since 1989 when the first outbreak of human fascioliasis occurred in Gilan Province located in north of Iran where about 10,000 people found infected and total number of infected cases estimated to be 2465. The contributing factors of the outbreak were higher number of rainfalls, using the infested water and high consumption of wild aquatic plants in infested areas. Various methods applied for identification of Fasciola species leading to human infection in infected areas revealed that three species of Fasciola, namely, F. hepatica, F. gigantica and a hybrid of the two species the causes of infection. The role of local snails in transmission of the infection was determined and using the serodiagnostic methods for future epidemiological survey was recommended.Keywords: Fascioliasis; Fasciola; Disease Outbreaks; Iran Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education: This is a review article of published papers and congress presentations and even experts' opinions about the epidemiology of human Fascioliasis in Iran since 30 years ago.

Finding of Biliary Fascioliasis by Endoscopic Ultrasonography in a Patient with Eosinophilic Liver Abscess

“…Sporadic cases have also been reported from the United States [ 1 ]. In Iran Gilan, Ardabil, Khuzestan and Kerman are most affected [ 12 ].…”

Cholangiocarcinoma in Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography and Fascioliasis in Endoscopic Ultrasonography

“…It occurs mainly in sheep-rearing areas of temperate climates, particularly in certain parts of Central and South America, Europe, China, Africa and the Middle East [ 5 ]. In Iran, Gilan, Ardabil, Khuzestan and Kerman are most affected [ 6 ]. Sporadic cases have also been reported from the United States.…”

“…Outbreaks of infection have been described in Gilan [ 6 ]. The life span of adult F. hepatica flukes within humans is not known but is estimated to be 9-13 years.…”

ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF CHLOROPHYLLIN AGAINST DIFFERENT LARVAL STAGES OF Fasciola gigantica

“…Human fasciolosis has been reported in 51 countries from five continents 3 . Human fasciolosis in the last two decades has changed its current status from a zoonosis to an emerging health problem 1 , 4 . An obvious solution to reduce the incidence of fasciolosis is to destroy the vector snails 5 or to kill the larvae of Fasciola inside the snail, therefore interrupting the life cycle of Fasciola 6 .…”