ECHINONEWS/ ECHINONET

The newsletter of the WHO Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis

January 2000

Echinococcosis… for the XXIth Century

The end of the XXth century has run so fast… and this EchinoNews is, thus, just on time to wish you a very happy New Year 2000, as well as good and fruitful century and millenium. We may hope that Echinococcosis will become nothing but a memory at the end of this new century, but history of echinococcosis let us know that milleniums have passed with cystic echinococcosis still a public health problem in many countries, and one and a half century has elapsed with alveolar echinococcosis progressively spreading beyond the borders of its initially described territory… So, research, prevention and control are needed more than ever ; it is the reason why I would like to wish successful achievement to all participants in the WHO-IWGE in all areas they are working in.

This EchinoNews issue comes a few months after the meeting in Bariloche. Unfortunately, because of the long distance, many researchers could not attend, and a short summary of the Congress and of the WHO-IWGE meeting will be given in this issue. As usual "News from the Networks" will bring some insight into the development of the Networks and their major achievements ; and "News from the teams" will give references of "difficult-to-reach" papers, theses, and other materials in various languages ; of course, this section only reflects the information given by the teams, some weeks ago, and a lot of published papers are missing, obviously, especially those which are easily available through Medline index systems (for example PubMed) using the key words "echinococcosis", "hydatidosis" Echinococcus, and/or the names of the participants in the WHO-IWGE, now given on the Group Web site. If you had not sent any information earlier, or if new papers, theses, books have become available, please do not hesitate to send the reference(s) to our "Webmaster" Enrico Brunetti. He often complains that our "EchinoNet" site is not updated regularly, is not "alive"… Please be convinced that this Web Site is a forum for all researchers/teams involved in echinococcosis research, and that it actually needs your input and participation. It will be what you will make of it.

As I told the participants at the WHO-IWGE meeting in Bariloche, we have now reached the end of my mandate as a coordinator of the WHO-IWGE. I would like to thank all colleagues who, despite lack of funding, and irrespective of the scientific competition which should have prevented us to work together on major subjects dealing with echinococcosis, have personally and actively supported progress made by the Networks, participated in coordinated studies, and given their time and skills to fulfill common goals.

My successor has not yet been formally designated, however, the process is underway. Some of you may recall the discussions concerning the considerations for selection of a new Coordinator at the Congress in Bariloche. Dr. Francois Meslin at WHO, Geneva, is currently involved in selection of the candidate and an announcement will be made shortly. My successor will, no doubt, extend and amplify what Prof J. Eckert and I have tried to do for the past years. He may be sure of my help and, on behalf of all participants in the WHO-IWGE, I wish him a fruitful and rewarding 2000-2004 term.

Dominique A. VUITTON

NEWS FROM BARILOCHE

A working meeting of the WHO-IWGE was held on September, 1999 in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, where the XIX International Congress of Hydatidology was organized by the Filial Argentina de la Associacion Internacional de Hidatidologia, and especially Dr Edmundo Larrieu. The XIX International Congress gave many clinicians and researchers in the field of echinococcosis a good opportunity to meet in a wonderful place, among mountains and lakes. Any information on the content of the Congress, and documents (congress book, CD Rom) still available may be obtained from Dr E. Larrieu : Director Salud Ambiental Consejo Provincial Salud Publica, Medico Veterinario 8500 Viedma, Argentina – e-mail : msrione@anmat.60.ar.

The working meeting of theWHO-IWGE was aimed at

Dr FX Meslin, from WHO, who could not attend the Congress and the WHO-IWGE meeting, sent a message to the participants :

To all Members of the Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis.

"Dear Friends and colleagues.

I am very sorry not be with you at the occasion of the IAH Meeting in Bariloche. Many other often unexpected commitments and duties have eventually made my participation impossible.

The meeting of the IWG which Dr Vuitton has accepted to organize at this occasion is very important as this is the last which Dominique Vuitton will conduct as Coordinator. You certainly remember that at the time the IWGs were re-organized it was established that the function could not be occupied by the same person for more than 4 years. These 4 years have already elapsed and before we move ahead I would like to take this opportunity to thank D. Vuitton for the immense quantity of time and efforts she has put into this "job" as well as the quality of the outputs of the various working teams which are her success as well. Now you have in front of you the task to nominate a new Co-ordinator. As also agreed 4 years ago to ensure the necessary balance in between medical and veterinary aspects of the disease, may I remember you that the next coordinator must be specialist of the animal related issues of prevention and control of H/E.

We know that Dominique has already discussed her succession and identified potential nominees who all satisfy our WHO requirements. The final choice is yours and we look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

We wish you a very successful meeting in Bariloche".

 

François Meslin, Coordinator "Animal and Food-related Public Health Risks"

Department of Communicable Diseases /Surveillance and Response

Meetings of the WHO-IWGE 1995/1999

"Application of molecular biology techniques to studies on echinococcosis".

"New trends in the epidemiology of alveolar echinococcosis"

"PAIR : indications, current status in the world as a treatment for cystic echinococcosis,

and long-term results".

"Working meeting on the achievements of the WHO-IWGE and prospect for future work"

Meetings of Networks

"Meeting of the Network "Staging/classification of AE cases"

"Meeting of the Network "Staging/classification of AE cases"

"Meeting of the board of the Network "PAIR" (preparation of the booklet)

Publications

J. Eckert is completing this immense task…

The so-called "Guidelines" will be finally published in 2000 as "WHO/OEI Manual on Echinococcosis in Humans and Animals" and sold at moderate price. However, a number of samples will hopefully be bought by private institutions/pharmaceutical firms in order to give it free to colleagues working in developing countries.

4 issues in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000 sent to all participants in the WHO-IWGE.