Abstract
The Northern Bolivian Altiplano is the fascioliasis endemic area with the reported highest human prevalence and intensities. A multidisciplinary One Health initiative was implemented to decrease infection/reinfection rates detected by periodic monitoring between the ongoing yearly preventive chemotherapy campaigns. Within a One Health axis, the information obtained throughout 35 years of field work on transmission foci and affected rural schools and communities/villages is analysed. Aspects linked to human infection risk are quantified, including: (1) geographical extent of the endemic area, its dynamics, municipalities affected, and its high strategic importance; (2) human population at risk, community development and mortality rates, with emphasis on problems in infancy and gender; (3) characteristics of the freshwater collections inhabited by lymnaeid snail vectors and constituting transmission foci; (4) food infection sources, including population surveys with questionnaire and reference to the most risky edible plant species; (5) water infection sources; (6) household characteristics; (7) knowledge of the inhabitants on Fasciola hepatica and the disease; (8) behavioural, traditional, social, and religious aspects; (9) livestock management. This is the widest and deepest study of this kind ever performed. Results highlight prevention and control difficulties where inhabitants follow century-old behaviours, traditions, and beliefs. Intervention priorities are proposed and discussed.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 1120 |
Journal | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Feb 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Keywords
- Behavioural
- Food and water infection sources
- Household and knowledge
- Human and animal fascioliasis
- Infancy and gender problems
- Livestock management
- Northern Bolivian Altiplano hyperendemic
- One Health action
- Prevention and control
- Social aspects
- Traditional
- Transmission foci