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In 2011, the FAO / WHO Expert Committee developed a ranking of parasites transmitted by foods of importance in world public health, which included some two dozen parasites.

Chile map/CIA
Chile map/CIA

The Parasitology Section of the Institute of Public Health of Chile (ISP) looked at five of these foodborne parasites for the period of 2012-2016 (computer translated)–this includes cysticercosis, fascioliasis, hydatidosis, toxoplasmosis and trichinosis.

In the period studied, from January 2012 to December 2016, the Parasitology Section of the
ISP received and analyzed a total of 9,522 samples for diagnosis or confirmation of the five parasites, of which 4.5% (424 / 9.522) corresponded to samples sent for study of cysticercosis, 6.8% (643 / 9.522) for fascioliasis, 36.1% (3.436 / 9.522) for hydatidosis, 44.1% (4,200 / 9,522) for toxoplasmosis and 8.6% (819 / 9,522) for trichinosis.

Below are some of the detailed findings:

Cysticercosis

Between 2012 and 2016, a total of 424 samples were received and analyzed to diagnose cysticercosis, of which 85.4% (362/424) were negative, 13.9% (59/424) positive and 0.7% (3/424) inconclusive.

Regarding the percentage of positive results, presented a variation between 17.8% in 2013 and 7.4% for the year 2016.

Sixty-three percent of samples came from the Metropolitan region followed by 8 percent from the Maule region.

Pork tapeworm and cysticercosis

Other demographics include age where an increase in the number of positive samples was evidenced as age increases and sex, where six out 10 positive cases were in men.

Fascioliasis

Adult Fasciola hepatica Photo/Adam Cuerden via Wikimedia Commons
Adult Fasciola hepatica Photo/Adam Cuerden via Wikimedia Commons

In the period analyzed, in 2012 and 2016, a total of 643 samples were received for the diagnosis of
fascioliasis, of which 91.9% (591/643) were negative, 5.8% (37/643) positive and 2.3% (15/643) inconclusive.

75.9% (488/643) of the samples received came mainly from the Metropolitan Region, followed by the Valparaíso Region with 4.8% (31/643), Biobío with 4.7% (30/643) and Los Lagos with 4.2% (27/643).

Most positive samples came from the Metropolitan region.

As with cysticercosis, most positive cases were in those 50 years and older and positive cases were more frequently reported in men.

Fasciola hepatica: The sheep liver fluke

Hydatidosis

Between 2012 and 2016, a total of 3,436 samples were analyzed for diagnosis or confirmation of
hydatidosis, of which 63.9% (2.195 / 3.436) were negative, 32.1% (1.102 / 3.436) positive, 3.2% (110 / 3.436) as non-conclusive and in the remaining 0.8% (29 / 3.436) values were obtained discordant or new samples were requested.

According to the region of origin of the samples, 36.3% (1,248 / 3,436) of the total come from the Region
Metropolitan, followed by the Region of Aysén with 20.5% (706 / 3.436), Coquimbo 10.8% (372 / 3.436),
Biobío 10% (345 / 3.436) and the remaining 22.3% (765 / 3.436) corresponds to other regions with fewer numbers.

Of the total positive samples, 45.3% (499 / 1,102) comes from the Metropolitan Region, 11.8%
(130 / 1,102) of Coquimbo and 10.7% (118 / 1,102) of the Region of Aysén.

What is Echinococcosis or hydatid disease?

Toxoplasmosis

For the period studied, a total of 4,200 samples with suspected Toxoplasmosis were analyzed, which 61.5% (2.581 / 4.200) were negative, 36% (1.512 / 4.200) positive and 2.5% (104 / 4.200) were inconclusive.

According to the region of origin of the samples, 49.8% (2,091 / 4,200) of the total corresponds to the Region Metropolitan, followed by the O’Higgins Region with 22.5% (944 / 4,200) and Biobío with 6% (254 / 4,200).

Of the total positive samples, 44% (665 / 1,512) comes from the Metropolitan Region, 22.4% (338 / 1,512) of O’Higgins, 11.2% (169 / 1,512) of the Maule Region and 10.4% (157 / 1,512) of Antofagasta.

Of the total positive samples, 94.5% (1,429 / 1,512) has information regarding age. Of these, 25.1% (358 / 1,429) are concentrated in the group of 30 to 39 years, followed by the group of 40 to 49 years with 23.4% (335 / 1,429). According to sex, 60.4% (913 / 1,512) of the positive samples correspond to men and 39.6% (598 / 1,512) women.

Toxoplasma: Researchers show how it takes control of immune cells and spreads to the brain

Trichinosis

Trichinella spiralis parasite
Trichinella spiralis cysts
Image/CDC

Between 2012 and 2016, a total of 819 samples were analyzed for diagnosis or confirmation of trichinosis, of which 75.2% (616/819) were negative, 21.2% (174/819) positive and 3.5% (29/819) inconclusive.

According to the region of origin of the samples, 52.7% (432/819) of the total come from the Region
Metropolitan, followed by the Los Lagos Region with 12.5% (102/819), La Araucanía with 12.2%
(100/819), Los Ríos with 10.5% (86/819) and the remaining 12.2% (100/820) corresponds to other regions with less number of samples sent.

Trichinellosis public education still needed: Report

Conclusion

The total number of samples analyzed per year for the five agents showed an increase of 23.9% between the 2012 and 2016, a period in which an increase in the number of samples received was 103.7% for Hydatidosis and 57% for Fascioliasis.

The percentages of positive samples showed a decrease for Cysticercosis, Hydatidosis and Trichinosis while Fascioliasis and Toxoplasmosis showed an increase in the percentage of positive samples.

Parasites, Part 2: Foodborne parasites in the US