Overview of the epidemiological situation on echinococcosis in the Mediterranean region.

Cystic echinococcosis due to its considerable morbidity rates, in the populations of the Mediterranean region, give rise to high economic losses both in the public health sector and the animal production industry. Medium to high infection rates in man are recorded in most of the Mediterranean countries. Public awareness of hydatid disease is rather low in most of these countries. Difficulties in early diagnosis, the prevalent occurrence in rural areas with weak systems of health care, the favourable conditions created by man, as well as the climatic and ecological ones, are factors contributing to the prevalence of the infection. Small, ill-equipped and unsupervised slaughter-houses, illegal slaughtering, high population of stray dogs, etc., are known to be the main sources of infection. Echinococcus granulosus is the species present in nearly all countries of the regions while E. multilocularis infection is limited to a few of them. Accurate data on the incidence of human hydatid disease in the region are not available as it is notifiable in only a few countries.