Review Cystic Echinococcosis in Spain: Current Situation and Relevance for Other Endemic Areas in Europe

Abstract: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) remains an impor-tant health problem in many regions of the world, both where no control measures have been implemented, and where control programs have been incompletely success-ful with ensuing re-emergence of the disease. In Spain, official data on CE show an increase in the proportion of intermediate hosts with CE during the last few years, and autochthonous pediatric patients have been reported, a sign of active local transmission of disease. A similar picture emerges from data reported to the European Food Safety Authority by other European countries. Nevertheless, several crucial aspects related to CE that would help better understand and control the disease have not been tackled appropriately, in particular the emergence of infection in specific geographical areas. I