Hydatid disease: still a global problem

Hydatid disease (cystic echinococcosis) remains highly prevalent and a serious cause of human morbidity and mortality in many parts of the world. While there are some regions where the disease has been controlled, most efforts to control transmission of the parasite have had limited success. Recent genetic data indicate that Echinococcus granulosus, which was formally thought to be a single species, comprises a number of distinct species. The vast majority of human infections are caused by the most common genotype which is generally transmitted by sheep and goats. Renewed hope for effective control of the parasite's transmission has followed the development of the EG95 vaccine that can be used to reduce infection levels in livestock animals thereby reducing the reliance of control measures on interventions in dogs.