Unveiling the incidences and trends of alveolar echinococcosis in Europe: a systematic review from the KNOW-PATH project

Adriano Casulli; Bernadette Abela; Daniele Petrone; Barbara Šoba; Balázs Dezsényi; Jacek Karamon; Laurence Millon; Urmas Saarma; Daniela Antolová; François Chappuis; Severin Gloor; Marcel Stoeckle; Beat Müllhaupt; Relja Beck; Heimo Lagler; Felix Lötsch; Herbert Auer; Marie-Pierre Hayette; Libuše Kolářová; Sniedze Laivacuma; Mindaugas Šarkūnas; Vitalijus Sokolovas; Audronė Marcinkutė; Karin Troell; Ansgar Deibel; Pikka Jokelainen; Małgorzata Sulima; Dagny Krankowska; Stillhard Roman; Gaëtan-Romain Joliat; Nermin Halkic; Solange Bresson-Hadni; Joanna Halina Bednarek; Andrzej Załęski; Małgorzata Paul; Sheraz Yaqub; Mogens Jensenius; Joke van der Giessen; Laura Nabarro; Peter Chiodini; Florent Demonmerot; Jenny Knapp; Beate Grüner; Peter Kern; Lynn Peters; Federica Santolamazza; Azzurra Santoro

doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00283-X

Unveiling the incidences and trends of alveolar echinococcosis in Europe: a systematic review from the KNOW-PATH project

Adriano Casulli (Corresponding Author), Bernadette Abela, Daniele Petrone, Barbara Šoba, Balázs Dezsényi, Jacek Karamon, Laurence Millon, Urmas Saarma, Daniela Antolová, François Chappuis, Severin Gloor, Marcel Stoeckle, Beat Müllhaupt, Relja Beck, Heimo Lagler, Felix Lötsch, Herbert Auer, Marie-Pierre Hayette, Libuše Kolářová, Sniedze LaivacumaMindaugas Šarkūnas, Vitalijus Sokolovas, Audronė Marcinkutė, Karin Troell, Ansgar Deibel, Pikka Jokelainen, Małgorzata Sulima, Dagny Krankowska, Stillhard Roman, Gaëtan-Romain Joliat, Nermin Halkic, Solange Bresson-Hadni, Joanna Halina Bednarek, Andrzej Załęski, Małgorzata Paul, Sheraz Yaqub, Mogens Jensenius, Joke van der Giessen, Laura Nabarro, Peter Chiodini, Florent Demonmerot, Jenny Knapp, Beate Grüner, Peter Kern, Lynn Peters, Federica Santolamazza, Azzurra Santoro

Department of Infectology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Human alveolar echinococcosis is a notifiable parasitic infectious disease in most European countries; however, in practice, it is under-reported by national health systems. To fill this knowledge gap, data on the number, incidence, and trend of cases in Europe were extracted through a systematic review approach from both the scientific and grey literature, covering 1997-2023. This systematic review identified 4207 human alveolar echinococcosis cases from 28 of the 40 European countries investigated. Historically endemic Austria, France, Germany, and Switzerland accounted for 2864 (68·08%) of 4207 cases documented in Europe, and Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia represented an additional 887 (21·08%) cases. Based on incidence rates and trends detected in this study, two main epicentres were seen in countries in the Alpine and the Baltic areas. The mean annual incidence from 1997 to 2023 throughout Europe was 0·063 cases per 100 000 people and in EU member states was 0·060 cases per 100 000 people. Data collected during this period suggest that alveolar echinococcosis is emerging in almost every country where this neglected parasitic infectious disease has been detected.

Original language	English
Journal	The Lancet Infectious Diseases
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00283-X
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 24 Jun 2025

Field of Science*

3.2 Clinical medicine
3.3 Health sciences

Publication Type*

1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00283-X

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Casulli, A., Abela, B., Petrone, D., Šoba, B., Dezsényi, B., Karamon, J., Millon, L., Saarma, U., Antolová, D., Chappuis, F., Gloor, S., Stoeckle, M., Müllhaupt, B., Beck, R., Lagler, H., Lötsch, F., Auer, H., Hayette, M.-P., Kolářová, L., ... Santoro, A. (2025). Unveiling the incidences and trends of alveolar echinococcosis in Europe: a systematic review from the KNOW-PATH project. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00283-X

@article{3633846e8a594aff94843b05f8fb7953,

title = "Unveiling the incidences and trends of alveolar echinococcosis in Europe: a systematic review from the KNOW-PATH project",

abstract = "Human alveolar echinococcosis is a notifiable parasitic infectious disease in most European countries; however, in practice, it is under-reported by national health systems. To fill this knowledge gap, data on the number, incidence, and trend of cases in Europe were extracted through a systematic review approach from both the scientific and grey literature, covering 1997-2023. This systematic review identified 4207 human alveolar echinococcosis cases from 28 of the 40 European countries investigated. Historically endemic Austria, France, Germany, and Switzerland accounted for 2864 (68·08\%) of 4207 cases documented in Europe, and Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia represented an additional 887 (21·08\%) cases. Based on incidence rates and trends detected in this study, two main epicentres were seen in countries in the Alpine and the Baltic areas. The mean annual incidence from 1997 to 2023 throughout Europe was 0·063 cases per 100 000 people and in EU member states was 0·060 cases per 100 000 people. Data collected during this period suggest that alveolar echinococcosis is emerging in almost every country where this neglected parasitic infectious disease has been detected.",

author = "Adriano Casulli and Bernadette Abela and Daniele Petrone and Barbara {\v S}oba and Bal{\'a}zs Dezs{\'e}nyi and Jacek Karamon and Laurence Millon and Urmas Saarma and Daniela Antolov{\'a} and Fran{\c c}ois Chappuis and Severin Gloor and Marcel Stoeckle and Beat M{\"u}llhaupt and Relja Beck and Heimo Lagler and Felix L{\"o}tsch and Herbert Auer and Marie-Pierre Hayette and Libu{\v s}e Kol{\'a}{\v r}ov{\'a} and Sniedze Laivacuma and Mindaugas {\v S}arkūnas and Vitalijus Sokolovas and Audronė Marcinkutė and Karin Troell and Ansgar Deibel and Pikka Jokelainen and Ma{\l}gorzata Sulima and Dagny Krankowska and Stillhard Roman and Ga{\"e}tan-Romain Joliat and Nermin Halkic and Solange Bresson-Hadni and Bednarek, \{Joanna Halina\} and Andrzej Za{\l}{\c e}ski and Ma{\l}gorzata Paul and Sheraz Yaqub and Mogens Jensenius and \{van der Giessen\}, Joke and Laura Nabarro and Peter Chiodini and Florent Demonmerot and Jenny Knapp and Beate Gr{\"u}ner and Peter Kern and Lynn Peters and Federica Santolamazza and Azzurra Santoro",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

day = "24",

doi = "10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00283-X",

language = "English",

journal = "The Lancet Infectious Diseases",

issn = "1473-3099",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

Casulli, A, Abela, B, Petrone, D, Šoba, B, Dezsényi, B, Karamon, J, Millon, L, Saarma, U, Antolová, D, Chappuis, F, Gloor, S, Stoeckle, M, Müllhaupt, B, Beck, R, Lagler, H, Lötsch, F, Auer, H, Hayette, M-P, Kolářová, L, Laivacuma, S, Šarkūnas, M, Sokolovas, V, Marcinkutė, A, Troell, K, Deibel, A, Jokelainen, P, Sulima, M, Krankowska, D, Roman, S, Joliat, G-R, Halkic, N, Bresson-Hadni, S, Bednarek, JH, Załęski, A, Paul, M, Yaqub, S, Jensenius, M, van der Giessen, J, Nabarro, L, Chiodini, P, Demonmerot, F, Knapp, J, Grüner, B, Kern, P, Peters, L, Santolamazza, F & Santoro, A 2025, 'Unveiling the incidences and trends of alveolar echinococcosis in Europe: a systematic review from the KNOW-PATH project', The Lancet Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00283-X

TY - JOUR

T1 - Unveiling the incidences and trends of alveolar echinococcosis in Europe

T2 - a systematic review from the KNOW-PATH project

AU - Casulli, Adriano

AU - Abela, Bernadette

AU - Petrone, Daniele

AU - Šoba, Barbara

AU - Dezsényi, Balázs

AU - Karamon, Jacek

AU - Millon, Laurence

AU - Saarma, Urmas

AU - Antolová, Daniela

AU - Chappuis, François

AU - Gloor, Severin

AU - Stoeckle, Marcel

AU - Müllhaupt, Beat

AU - Beck, Relja

AU - Lagler, Heimo

AU - Lötsch, Felix

AU - Auer, Herbert

AU - Hayette, Marie-Pierre

AU - Kolářová, Libuše

AU - Laivacuma, Sniedze

AU - Šarkūnas, Mindaugas

AU - Sokolovas, Vitalijus

AU - Marcinkutė, Audronė

AU - Troell, Karin

AU - Deibel, Ansgar

AU - Jokelainen, Pikka

AU - Sulima, Małgorzata

AU - Krankowska, Dagny

AU - Roman, Stillhard

AU - Joliat, Gaëtan-Romain

AU - Halkic, Nermin

AU - Bresson-Hadni, Solange

AU - Bednarek, Joanna Halina

AU - Załęski, Andrzej

AU - Paul, Małgorzata

AU - Yaqub, Sheraz

AU - Jensenius, Mogens

AU - van der Giessen, Joke

AU - Nabarro, Laura

AU - Chiodini, Peter

AU - Demonmerot, Florent

AU - Knapp, Jenny

AU - Grüner, Beate

AU - Kern, Peter

AU - Peters, Lynn

AU - Santolamazza, Federica

AU - Santoro, Azzurra

PY - 2025/6/24

Y1 - 2025/6/24

N2 - Human alveolar echinococcosis is a notifiable parasitic infectious disease in most European countries; however, in practice, it is under-reported by national health systems. To fill this knowledge gap, data on the number, incidence, and trend of cases in Europe were extracted through a systematic review approach from both the scientific and grey literature, covering 1997-2023. This systematic review identified 4207 human alveolar echinococcosis cases from 28 of the 40 European countries investigated. Historically endemic Austria, France, Germany, and Switzerland accounted for 2864 (68·08%) of 4207 cases documented in Europe, and Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia represented an additional 887 (21·08%) cases. Based on incidence rates and trends detected in this study, two main epicentres were seen in countries in the Alpine and the Baltic areas. The mean annual incidence from 1997 to 2023 throughout Europe was 0·063 cases per 100 000 people and in EU member states was 0·060 cases per 100 000 people. Data collected during this period suggest that alveolar echinococcosis is emerging in almost every country where this neglected parasitic infectious disease has been detected.

AB - Human alveolar echinococcosis is a notifiable parasitic infectious disease in most European countries; however, in practice, it is under-reported by national health systems. To fill this knowledge gap, data on the number, incidence, and trend of cases in Europe were extracted through a systematic review approach from both the scientific and grey literature, covering 1997-2023. This systematic review identified 4207 human alveolar echinococcosis cases from 28 of the 40 European countries investigated. Historically endemic Austria, France, Germany, and Switzerland accounted for 2864 (68·08%) of 4207 cases documented in Europe, and Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia represented an additional 887 (21·08%) cases. Based on incidence rates and trends detected in this study, two main epicentres were seen in countries in the Alpine and the Baltic areas. The mean annual incidence from 1997 to 2023 throughout Europe was 0·063 cases per 100 000 people and in EU member states was 0·060 cases per 100 000 people. Data collected during this period suggest that alveolar echinococcosis is emerging in almost every country where this neglected parasitic infectious disease has been detected.

UR - https://www-webofscience-com.db.rsu.lv/wos/alldb/full-record/MEDLINE:40578380

U2 - 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00283-X

DO - 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00283-X

M3 - Review article

C2 - 40578380

SN - 1473-3099

JO - The Lancet Infectious Diseases

JF - The Lancet Infectious Diseases

ER -

Unveiling the incidences and trends of alveolar echinococcosis in Europe: a systematic review from the KNOW-PATH project

Abstract

Field of Science*

Publication Type*

UN SDGs

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