WHO Informal Working Groups on Echinococcosis ( WHO-IWGE ) were founded in 1985 and for 10
years, under the leadership of prof. J.Eckert
( Zurich, Switzerland ) , they contributed much to facilitate exchanges between interested
scientists working in their respective areas .
In 1995, the Veterinary Public Health Unit, at WHO, decided to modify the functioning of
the groups and to transform them into a single group.
The working groups brings together all the scientists involved in research on
echinococcosis whatever their specialty , field of interest , or type of echinococcosis
studied .
The aim of the group is to establish international networks on relevant , up-to-date
and/or important problems in echinococcosis on the basis of ( 1 ) international
cooperation , ( 2 ) high
scientific standards and (3) accurate methodology
A coordinator is designated by WHO and has a 4-year term.
He /she is assisted by a coordinating board . This board is also proposed for a 4-year
term , so that it can be regularly renewed. It, thus, will give an opportunity for closer
association
with the life of the working group to many scientists ; the coordinator for the next term
will be chosen from among the participants so that a continuity of action is ensured .
The current networks deal with:
Standardization of the ultra-sound classification of hydatid cysts
( coordinator : C.McPherson )
Long term follow-up of patients treated with PAIR
( coordinator: C.Filice )
Standardization of the staging /classification of patients with alveolar echinococcosis
( coordinator: P.Kern )
Vaccination of sheep for the prevention of echinococcosis : pilot trials
( coordinator: M.Lightowlers )
Standardization of immunological tools for the detection of Echinococcus coproantigens in
carnivores
( coordinator: PS Craig )
Educational material for echinococcosis prevention/control
( coordinator: M.Tinelli )
Methodology for the evaluation of the economical cost of echinococcosis
( coordinator: G.Batelli )
Long-term evaluation of chemotherapy in cystic echinococcosis
( coordinators :T.Todorov , A.Teggi )
Natural history of small single hydatid cysts
( coordinator: Z.Pawlowski )
People interested in participating in these networks or wishing to create a network can
send their name, the description of their research team and the part they plan to
take in the proposed network. All the proposals are submitted to the coordinating board
and to Dr. Meslin ( WHO " Reserch on and promotion of zoonotic disease
surveillance and control" team ). If the work undertaken by a network leads to a
proposal for international classification/standardization , it is submitted for the formal
approval by the WHO. It must be understood by everyone, however , that neither WHO nor
the informal working group can give any financial support for these networks;
however they can help in advertising participants about other sources of funding and
organizing meetings on given subjects.
In conclusion, the WHO informal working group on echinococcosis will continue to play a
major role in information exchange and in stimulating public interest in the field.
It does not exclude any active group or scintist but tries to itegrate them on the basis
previously defined . The coordinator designated for the 1995-1999 period is Prof.Dominique A.Vuitton.
Two recent speciual issues of Acta Tropica ( ZS Pawlowski , P Schantz guest editors ) deal
with :
" Advances in Clinical management of Cystic Echinococcosis " ( 1997, 64 ( 1,2 )
1-122; 1997 , 67 ( 1-2 ) 1-171 ).
These special issues can be purchased separately : please ask :
Mr Adrian Klinkeberg
Elsevier Science , Life Sciences - PO Box 1527
1000 BM Amsterdam , The Netherlands
tel ( +31 ) 20 485 3911 - fax ( + 31 ) 20 485 3342 |
