Epidemiological Review of Human and Animal Fascioliasis in Egypt

ABSTRACT

One of the neglected food-borne-diseases in the international public health arena is fascioliasis. It is a serious infectious parasitic disease infecting humans and animals worldwide and tops all the zoonotic helminthes. Human cases are being increasingly reported from Europe; the Americas; Oceania; Africa and Asia. Hence; human fascioliasis is considered now as a zoonosis of major global and regional importance. In Egypt; animal and human fascioliasis is an endemic clinical and epidemiological health problem. Doubtless; understanding the epidemiology of the parasitic diseases and factors affecting their incidence provides the foundation upon which effective prevention and control programs should be established. This article reviews the history; life cycles; transmission; incidence; geographical distribution; and environmental and human determinants that contribute to the epidemiological picture of fascioliasis with special reference to Egypt