A survey of the parasites of Ural saiga antelopes and Turkmenian kulans of Kazakhstan.

Saiga antelope and Turkmenian kulans are considered critically endangered and near threatened, respectively, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Due to these species' fragile status, it is important to understand the pathogens infecting their remaining populations. A total of 496 faecal samples were collected from Ural saiga antelope in western Kazakhstan during June, September, and November of 2021 and May and August of 2022 and 149 faecal samples were collected from kulans in the Altyn-Emel nature reserve in south-eastern Kazakhstan from June to August of 2021. Additionally, endo- and ecto-parasites were collected from 17 saiga that were found deceased due to natural causes. Nine helminths (3 cestodes, 6 nematodes) and two protozoans were found in Ural saiga antelope. In addition to intestinal parasites, one case of cystic echinococcosis due to Echinococcus granulosus infection and one case of cerebral coenurosis due to Taenia multiceps infection was identified on necropsy. None of the collected ticks (all Hyalomma scupense) were found positive for Theileria annulate (enolase gene) or Babesia spp. (18 S ribosomal RNA gene) via PCR. Three intestinal parasites (Parascaris equorum, Strongylus sp., and Oxyuris equi) were found in kulans. All identified parasites, in both saiga and kulans, are also found in domesticated livestock, suggesting a need for better understanding of how parasites are maintained within and between regional wild and domestic ungulate populations.

Epidemiology of Taenia saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis: a systematic review of the distribution in central and western Asia and the Caucasus.

BACKGROUND: The zoonotic parasite Taenia saginata transmits between humans, the definitive host (causing taeniosis), and bovines as the intermediate host (causing cysticercosis). Central and western Asia and the Caucasus have large cattle populations and beef consumption is widespread. However, an overview of the extent of human T. saginata infection and bovine cysticercosis is lacking. This review aims to summarize the distribution of T. saginata in this region. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted, that gathered published and grey literature, and official data concerning T. saginata taeniosis and bovine cysticercosis in central and western Asia and the Caucasus published between January 1st, 1990 and December 31st, 2018. Where no data were available for a country within this period, published data from 1985-1990 were also accessed. RESULTS: From 10,786 articles initially scanned, we retrieved 98 full-text articles from which data were extracted. In addition, two unpublished datasets were provided on the incidence of human taeniosis. Data for human taeniosis and bovine cysticercosis were found for all countries except Turkmenistan. Human taeniosis prevalence varied from undetected to over 5.3%, with regional variations. Where bovine cysticercosis was detected, prevalences varied from case reports to 25%. CONCLUSIONS: The public health burden of T. saginata is assumed to be small as the parasite is of low pathogenicity to humans. However, this review indicates that infection continues to be widespread and this may result in a large economic burden, due to the resources utilized in meat inspection and condemnation or processing with subsequent downgrading of infected carcasses.

Rabies in Kazakhstan.

BACKGROUND: Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease. There is a sparsity of data on this disease with regard to the incidence of human and animal disease in many low and middle income countries. Furthermore, rabies results in a large economic impact and a high human burden of disease. Kazakhstan is a large landlocked middle income country that gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and is endemic for rabies. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used detailed public health and veterinary surveillance data from 2003 to 2015 to map where livestock rabies is occurring. We also estimate the economic impact and human burden of rabies. Livestock and canine rabies occurred over most of Kazakhstan, but there were regional variations in disease distribution. There were a mean of 7.1 officially recorded human fatalities due to rabies per year resulting in approximately 457 Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). A mean of 64,289 individuals per annum underwent post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) which may have resulted in an additional 1140 DALYs annually. PEP is preventing at least 118 cases of human rabies each year or possibly as many as 1184 at an estimated cost of $1193 or $119 per DALY averted respectively. The estimated economic impact of rabies in Kazakhstan is $20.9 million per annum, with nearly half of this cost being attributed to the cost of PEP and the loss of income whilst being treated. A further $5.4 million per annum was estimated to be the life time loss of income for fatal cases. Animal vaccination programmes and animal control programmes also contributed substantially to the economic losses. The direct costs due to rabies fatalities of agricultural animals was relatively low. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates that in Kazakhstan there is a substantial economic cost and health impact of rabies. These costs could be reduced by modifying the vaccination programme that is now practised. The study also fills some data gaps on the epidemiology and economic effects of rabies in respect to Kazakhstan.