Last years emerging parasites in Europe - a challenge on how to anticipate
Abstract
According to WHOA, emerging diseases are new infections
caused by the evolution or modification of an existing pathogen,
such as a parasite, due to a change of host, vector, pathogenicity
or strain. These diseases could become more numerous in the
context of global warming, which could alter the range of certain
parasites and/or their potential vectors. With regard to emerging
parasites, the concept of emergence is associated either with a
new parasite described by science or with a parasite whose area of
incidence or host range is expanding. Very often, the mechanism
of the emergence consists of two steps: first, the introduction of a
new parasitic agent and second, its spread to a more susceptible
or immunologically unadapted population.
The emergence of parasites is often linked to their reservoir hosts,
often found in wildlife (e.g. foxes in the case of Echinococcus multilocularis).
More recently, some parasite introductions or expansion
into new areas have been associated with an increase in vectors
such as the recent increase of Dirofilaria repens, which emerged
recently in Northern European countries.
Regarding vectors, people think about biting arthropods. What
about gastropods? They host many parasites, including some
emerging ones. The recent emergence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis
in Spain, first in Tenerife, then in Majorca and finally in
mainland Spain in and around Valencia, is evidence of their importance.
In addition to Human diseases, an important point is
the increase in parasitic diseases also in domestic animals such
as pulmonary infections in cats due to Aelurostrongylus abstrusus,
Troglostrongylus brevior … Moreover, the increase and spread of
Angiostrongylus chabaudi, A. vasorum, as well as the recent cases
caused by A. dujardini show the importance of t aking into account
terrestrial gastropods. The impact of these parasites/hosts
on Global Health highlights the need for a European network,
which we are currently building.