Parasitic zoonoses in the Roma population

Scientific paper - Review paper

• Author: Lucija Bajkovec
• Author: Tatjana Vilibić-Čavlek
• Author: Ljubo Barbić
• Author: Anna Mrzljak
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine; (Department of Internal Medicine)
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine; (Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences; Medical Microbiology
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences; Internal Medicine

Abstract (english)

Roma people are the largest minority group in Europe. The vast majority live in substandard conditions in segregated settlements, overcrowded with people and animals that predispose them to various, especially zoonotic diseases. Parasitic zoonotic diseases remain a challenge in this vulnerable population group, especially among Roma children. PubMed was searched using the keywords Roma with combination of names of different parasites to get all available studies on prevalence of parasitic zoonoses among European Roma, published between years 2000 and 2020. After application of exclusion criteria, data were extracted from the studies that made the final sample. Parasitic zoonoses are common among Roma. Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma gondii, soil-transmitted helminths and Giardia spp. are more common in Roma children compared to non-Roma children, and Toxoplasma gondii and soil-transmitted helminths are also more common in Roma adults compared to non-Roma adults. Data on prevalence of trichinellosis, echinococcosis, and taeniasis among Roma show that they do not affect Roma more often compared to the general population. Roma people, particularly children, are more susceptible to parasitic zoonoses. Substandard sanitary conditions and close contact with infected animals are important risk factors in this population and should be aimed with preventive measures.

• Keywords (english): Europe; Roma population; Zoonosis; helminths; parasitic diseases; protozoan parasites
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Review paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Germs
• Numbering: vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 418-426
• e-ISSN: 2248-2997
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2021.1279
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:961111
• Publication: 2021-09-29
• Document URL: http://www.germs.ro/en/Articles/Parasitic-zoonoses-in-the-Roma-population-1561
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2022-03-15 08:35:07