FASCIOLOPSIS.pdf

FASCIOLOPSIS This is an emerging food borne parasitic zoonosis infectious disease caused by intestinal fluke called Fasciolopsis buski, the largest intestinal fluke of human. The disease if acquired through eating raw and/or uncooked aquatic plants that have the organism encysted on them. Pigs and human are the major reservoirs of infection. Snails are the intermediate hosts, after further development, the parasites leaves the snails and encyst on water plants. Human beings become infected as a result of eating these contaminated raw or uncooked plants. It’s good to note however, that there exist no direct transmissions from human to human. Fasciolopsis infection is characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea that occurs between one and two after infection while heavy or severe infection can cause intestinal obstruction, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever. In extreme cases, allergic reactions and swelling of the face and legs can occur. This infection is prevalent in regions that heavily depend on marine products that are their source of economic resources such as food. It is common in the orient and south East Asia in the mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and across the Indian sub continent with the first case discovered in Malaysia in a 39years old female farmer however it is most prevalent in school- age children. It is estimated that at least ten million cases are reported annually across the world however no such case has been detected or reported in Africa. Diagnosis is made by finding the flukes or their eggs in the feces or even in vomit. The infection can simply be prevented by cooking aquatic plants well before eating them and/or in endemic areas, infection can be avoided by preventing fecal contamination of water where aquatic plants are grown and to avoid feeding raw aquatic plants to pigs. Fasciolopsis is treatable; this is through the proscription taken by mouth called praziquantel. The epidemiology of this disease is greatly influenced by the century old traditions of eating raw aquatic plants and using untreated water, social and agricultural practices, health education, industrialization and environmental alteration. The disease is aggravated by the social and economic factors such as poverty, malnutrition and explosively growing free food market, lack of sufficient food inspection and sanitation.

This disease touches on various aspects of the society such as the economic, political, cultural and social practices for which their understanding is very much instrumental in drafting safety and prevention measures.

REFERENCE www.cdc.gov/parasites/fasciolopsis/faqs.html www.ncbi.nlm.gov/pubmed/15916055