PREVALENCE OF PARASITIC PATHOLOGY AMONG HUMANS IN BULGARIA

A retrospective cohort study over a two-year period (2020 – 2021)

Authors

  • Rumen Harizanov Author
  • Iskra Rainova National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Author
  • Nina Tsvetkova National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Author
  • Iskren Kaftandjiev National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Author
  • Raina Borisova National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Author
  • Mihaela Videnova National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Author
  • Eleonora Kaneva National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Author
  • Ognyan Mikov National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Author
  • Aleksandra Ivanova Author
  • Violeta Yakimova National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58395/pipd.v50i2.93

Keywords:

parasitic diseases;, prevalence;, surveillance;, control

Abstract

The aim of this report is to review and assess the dynamics of parasitic diseases in Bulgaria during 2020-2021.

Materials and methods. The analysis is based on the annual reports of the Regional Health Inspectorates (RHIs) about the cases of registered parasitic diseases among humans in the country and on data from the National Reference Laboratory “Diagnosis of Parasitic Diseases” at the National Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (NCIPD), Sofia, for all examined cases.

Results. For the study period a total of 1,225,485 individuals were examined in the country’s parasitological laboratories at the Regional Health Inspectorates, stand-alone medical diagnostic laboratories and at the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic diseases (NCIPD), of whom 19,509 (1.59%) were diagnosed with a positive result for parasitic pathogens. Among the zoonotic helminth infections with local transmission, a special attention deserve cystic echinococcosis and trichinellosis as the incidence of these parasitoses in Bulgaria is the highest among the European member states. The prevalence of ascariasis and trichuriasis in the country have been reduced to such an extent that they do not represent a public health danger any more. Data regarding community acquired giardiasis and hymenolepiasis can be interpreted in a similar way, while for enterobiasis, an increasing prevalence among both children and adults has been observed in recent years.
Although imported parasitic pathology is relatively limited in volume, Bulgarian climate and fauna are quite favorable for local transmission of a number of imported parasitic diseases. Control measures regarding this pathology consist in the timely detection and removal of infection sources.

Conclusion. In Bulgaria, there is a well-established system for surveillance and control of human parasitic diseases, which allows the acquisition of comprehensive information including patients demographic data and characteristics of the causative agents. This enables the monitoring of parasitic pathology among the population and an accurate assessment of the the endemic-related risks.

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References

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Harizanov R., I. Rainova, N. Tsvetkova, I. Kaftandjiev, R. Borisova, A. Ivanova, M. Videnova. Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among the Bulgarian population over a three year period (2015-2017). Helminthologia 2020; 57(1): 12–18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2020-0002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2020-0002

R. Harizanov, I. Rainova, A. Ivanova, N. Tsvetkova, E. Kaneva, I. Kaftandjiev, R. Borisova, M. Videnova, D. Velcheva. Enterobiasis in Bulgaria: a neglected infection with increasing frequency. 15th International Congress of Parasitology, August 21-26, 2022, Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Published

2023-02-19

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How to Cite

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Harizanov, R.; Rainova, I.; Tsvetkova, N.; Kaftandjiev, I.; Borisova, R.; Videnova, M.; Kaneva, E.; Mikov, O.; Ivanova, A.; Yakimova, V. PREVALENCE OF PARASITIC PATHOLOGY AMONG HUMANS IN BULGARIA: A Retrospective Cohort Study over a Two-Year Period (2020 – 2021). Probl Infect Parasit Dis 2023, 50 (2), 26-34. https://doi.org/10.58395/pipd.v50i2.93.

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