Incidence of alveolar echinococcosis in humans and animals in Kostanay region of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract

The research aims to study the spread of alveococcosis in humans and animals on the territory of the Kostanay region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Studies on the diagnosis of alveococcosis in humans were conducted in the branch of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Scientific-practical center of sanitary-epidemiological examination and monitoring", Kostanay, in 2010-2019. To determine the degree of invasion by alveococcosis, a pathoanatomic autopsy was performed on captured mouse-like rodents in the territory of the Kostanay region, where cases of human alveococcosis were registered. The incidence among the population of various age groups in the region was analyzed based on the results of blood samples by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) and liver ultrasound. It is established that alveococcosis is a common disease among people living not only in the Kostanay region but also in the Republic of Kazakhstan in general. The main definitive hosts in the development cycle of the pathogen infestation on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan are foxes and dogs, intermediate hosts – 18 species of rodents, and for humans, alveococcosis is one of the most dangerous helminthic diseases, since in most cases it leads to death. Alveococcosis can be attributed to particularly dangerous infestations since the foci of infestation are formed not only in anthropogenic zones where the pathogen can devastate but also in natural biocenoses, where the main sources of the pathogen's spread in the external environment are foxes (Vulpes) and corsac foxes (Vulpes corsac). The maximum number of cases of alveococcosis in 2018-2020 was registered in intermediate hosts – mouse-like rodents, like common vole Microtus arvalis, the extent of A. multilocularis invasion was 3.1-3.5%. Based on the comparative analysis of the epizootic and epidemiological situation of alveococcosis in the territory of the Kostanay region, it should be noted that the risk of infection of the population with alveococcosis persists in all areas of the region.