Prevention and Control of Parasitic Zoonoses

Abstract

Prevention and control of parasitic zoonoses is a challenging task especially in low- and middle-income countries having poor living conditions, inadequate sanitation, lack of personal hygiene and defective health system. In absence of any suitable vaccine, large part of prevention depends primarily on adequate sanitary measures taken for consumption of safe food and drinks and measures against vector breeding and bites. Healthy pet management and adequate personal hygiene have important roles in prevention. Prevention is almost impossible without a favourable hygienic behaviour which can be achieved through adequate behaviour change communication. Control of parasitic zoonoses in humans involves chemotherapy, isolation, immunoprophylaxis and personal prophylaxis. Fortunately, suitable drugs are available for most diseases. Unless complicated, most such diseases have a favourable prognosis. Proper control of parasitic zoonoses also involves measures for animals important of which are surveillance, various animal control measures and particularly control of livestock and meat industry and market. Travellers visiting endemic areas need to take adequate protection against such prevalent diseases. Although less frequent, programmes against specific parasitic zoonoses, supported by international health agencies and non-governmental private organizations, have been operational and are successful.

Case Study

Insecticide-treated mosquito nets together with appropriate behaviour-change education is considered an effective preventive measure for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Thus, during an epidemic of VL in eastern Sudan, 357,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets were distributed to 155 affected villages. It was reported that an estimated 1060 VL cases were prevented between June 1999 and January 2001, giving a mean protective efficacy of 27%. Thus community distribution of insecticide-treated nets is a good measure for reducing the incidence of VL in a community. The village community should also be educated about the dangers of sleeping outdoors without using mosquito nets.

• 1. What are the hurdles in implementing prevention or control measures in resource-poor countries?

• 2. What are the international parasitic control programmes which are ongoing?

• 3. Name a few parasitic diseases which have been substantially controlled worldwide using public health measures.

Research Questions

• 1. How do we change the unfavourable human behaviour which is responsible for ongoing transmission of many of the parasitic zoonoses?

• 2. How do we develop and apply feasible, effective and efficient mechanisms to invoke political/administrative will among a large section of politicians/administrators in low- and middle-income countries?

• 3. How can we best improve and formulate proper control measures or national/international programmes for many endemic parasitic diseases?