Cystic echinococcosis in Afghanistan: addressing evidence gaps through regional one health collaboration with WHO EMRO

Clicks: 9
ID: 334075
2026
Free PDF
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal
Emerging

Ranked #78 of 81 articles by views in transactions of the royal society of tropical medicine and hygiene

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Sign in to mint
Abstract
Abstract Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a neglected tropical disease endemic in the Middle East and North Africa region. Hospital-based studies indicate that CE continues to impose an important clinical burden in Afghanistan and is likely to contribute to disability, healthcare costs, and productivity losses among affected individuals; however, the true national prevalence remains unknown because of the absence of surveillance and the absence of population-based studies. Afghanistan has a predominantly agricultural and livestock-dependent population, while unregulated home slaughter, free-roaming dogs, poor hygiene, and limited diagnostic capacity are likely to facilitate continued transmission. Available hospital and household screening studies demonstrate local transmission and highlight the need for targeted action. Afghanistan currently has limited capacity to address CE independently and therefore requires regional One Health collaboration. Three contextually feasible, pilot–based priorities are outlined: (i) strengthening equitable access to diagnosis and clinical care; (ii) implementing targeted One Health interventions to reduce transmission; and (iii) strengthening surveillance and research capacity. Formal recognition of CE as a regional public health priority by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) is an essential first step. The immediate research priority is to determine the epidemiology of CE in Afghanistan through nationally representative population-based prevalence studies using standardized ultrasound and serological surveys. These data are needed to estimate disease burden, identify geographical hotspots, guide resource allocation, and evaluate future control programmes. Strengthened regional coordination through WHO EMRO would support surveillance, research, and integrated One Health approaches. Community education targeting livestock owners, schoolchildren, butchers, and community leaders should accompany these efforts to reduce exposure risks and strengthen acceptance of integrated control strategies.
Reference Key
openalex_W7223667311 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Sayed Hussain Mosawi, Mohammad Sayed Behrad, Mehdi Borhani, Hao Wen
Are you one of these authors? Claim your profile
Journal transactions of the royal society of tropical medicine and hygiene
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/trstmh/trag135
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trag135
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.