PERITAS

Molecular epidemiological studies on pathways of transmission and long lasting capacity building to prevent cystic echinococcosis infection

PARTNERS

• Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Italy. (Adriano Casulli - Project coordinator)
• Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain. (Mar Siles-Lucas)
• Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain. (Maria Jesus Perteguer Prieto)
• Universidad Austral de Chile, Chile. (Gerardo Acosta)
• National University of Rio Negro, Argentina. (Edmundo Larrieu, Leonardo Uchiumi)
• Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru. (Saul Santivanez)

Timing: 2018-2022. Funder: European Commission (EULAC-Health) and participating Ministries of Health (G.A. EULACH16/T02-0067). Total cost: 1.083.580 €.  

PERITAS aims to elucidate the pathways of transmission of Echinococcus granulosus. PERITAS is a cross-sectional ultrasound study of human CE infection for the identification of high endemic clusters followed by a case-control molecular epidemiology study on several environmental matrices, comparing level of contamination. Prevalence of human CE in active stages will be identified by population-based ultrasound surveys in selected areas of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Sampling of different matrices in these areas will be village-based, followed by application of molecular techniques to quantify different level of contamination between households and backyards of positive/negative humans. Ad-hoc questionnaire focused on specific habits and behaviours will be provided to participants. The European clinical register on CE (ERCE) will be implemented in the International register (IRCE).The results will allow the implementation of more precisely-targeted human-centred control interventions, saving time and costs of control activities.

PUBLICATIONS

• Acosta-Jamett G, Hernández FA, Castro N, Tamarozzi F, Uchiumi L, Salvitti JC, Cueva M, Casulli A. Prevalence rate and risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis: A cross-sectional, community-based, abdominal ultrasound study in rural and urban north-central Chile. PLoS neglected tropical Diseases. 2022 Mar 9; 16(3): e0010280
• Uchiumi L, Mujica G, Araya D, Salvitti JS, Sobrino M, Moguillansky S, Solari A, Blanco P, Barrera F, Lamuniere J, Arezo M, Seleiman M, Yadon ZE, Tamarozzi F, Casulli A, Larrieu E. Prevalence of Human Cystic Echinococcosis in Rio Negro Province, Argentina and direct risk factors for infection. Parasites & Vectors. 2021 May 19; 14(1):262
• Rossi P, Tamarozzi F, Galati F, Akhan O, Cretu CM, Vutova K, Siles-Lucas M, Brunetti E, Casulli A; ERCE network. The European Register of Cystic Echinococcosis, ERCE: state-of-the-art five years after its launch. Parasites & Vectors. 2020 May 7; 13(1): 236
• Tamarozzi F, Deplazes P, Casulli A. Reinventing the Wheel of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato Transmission to Humans. [Abstract]. Trends in Parasitology. 2020 May; 36(5): 427-434
• Casulli A, Siles-Lucas M, Tamarozzi F. Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. [Abstract] Trends in Parasitology. 2019 Aug; 35(8): 663-664