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Food-borne trematodiasis: role in hepatobiliar and intestinal morbidity and risk patterns for infection in ecological and socio-economic distinct settings of Southeast Asia

Research Project
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01.09.2005
 - 31.08.2008

In the Mekong River basin parasitic infections are of major public health, economic and veterinary importance. Besides malaria, food- and water-borne trematode infections (worms) persist. Liver flukes (Opisthorchis viverrini) and intestinal flukes (Fasciolopsis buski, Haplorchis sp.) are responsible for hepatobiliar and intestinal diseases, respectively. Schistosoma mekongi is the endemic water-borne trematode affecting the liver and intestinal tract. Food- and water-borne trematodes exhibit a complex life cycle in which either aquatic snails, or crustacean, or fish, or water plants act as intermediate host(s). Raw or undercooked consumption of these animals and plants or exposure to contaminated water leads to infection. Ecological features of the Mekong River basin ascertain the presence of the environmental reservoir. The low socio-economic status governs the exposure of mainly rural populations and infections with two or more parasites are very frequent. The socio-ecological setting determines which parasites can be transmitted, and hence the characteristics of the multiple infections change according to the setting and as a consequence the combined morbidity. Further complications arise as the distinction of these parasites with standard laboratory diagnostic techniques is difficult and therefore misdiagnosis is common. The goal of the project is to analyse the characteristics and dynamics of polyparasitism of trematodes in the Mekong River basin area and its community-attributable burden. The study will provide a basis for the design and implementation of control strategies. The project will be conducted in distinctly different socio-ecological setting in Lao PDR. They represent the variety of socio-ecological setting present in the Mekong River basin and bordering areas. Hospital- and community-based studies will be performed. This project will provide qualitative and quantitative, hospital and community based assessments of trematode infections, their interrelationship and association with other intestinal parasitic infections in Lao PDR. It will allow risk mapping and prediction and will help to tailor cost-effective control and surveillance strategies. This project is financed by the Research Partnership Initiative of the Swiss National Research Foundation (SNF) and the Swiss Development Cooperation. Research capacity building in Lao PDR is an explicit operational aim of the project.

Members (1)

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Peter Odermatt

Principal Investigator