Abstract:
Hydatidosis is a hyperendemic zoonotic disease in Chile
caused by the dog tapeworm, Echinococcus granulosus. In
Chile as in many other countries in South America, this
disease has been largely neglected with few exceptions.
Chile’s growing economy and the interest of health
authorities has lead to an increase in the number of
studies investigating the epidemiology of echinococcosis
and the factors related to infections of the main definitive
host, the domestic dog and humans. In this study, we
determined the prevalence of human and canine echinococcosis
as well as the associated risk factors in a rural area
of the Limarı´ province in northern Chile. We undertook a
household questionnaire survey in rural areas of the five
municipalities of the Limarı´ province in Coquimbo region.
For each household serum of an adult family member and
fecal samples from a dog were taken. Results of our study
indicate that infection occurs in 2.6% of humans and 28%
of dogs and is primarily due to feeding of dogs with
contaminated offal and high dog-human contact. As a
result of this study, the Chilean Ministry of Health
instigated a control program aimed to control the
infection in dogs and avoid new infections to humans.
