Cryptosporidiosis appears to be an occupational disease in Estonia

A new case study has just been published that challenge the mysterious absence of reported cases in Estonia of the diarrhoea causing disease cryptosporidiosis.

The article provide evidence that the infections from cattle to humans may be a specific subtype of Cryptosporidium parvum - so far reported found mainly in humans and animals in Eastern European countries.

The full article is available for download by following this link:
Lassen, Brian; Ståhl, Marie; Heidi, L. Enemark (2014). Cryptosporidiosis – an occupational risk and a disregarded disease in Estonia. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 56(36), 1 - 3.

Review of Estonian research on protozoan parasites 1950-2008

Vast amounts of scientific knowledge is currently disappearing. Before gaining independence countries such as Estonia largely published in Estonian and Russian. This information has to a large extent been unknown to the international community.
The Scandinavian-Baltic Society for Parasitology (SBSP) has created a grant for researchers to encourage them to compile English reviews on local research in parasitology before the information is lost.

This review at the bottom of this entry was compiled on Estonian research on parasitic protozoans in livestock and pets. Most of this literature was found in the drawers of retired researchers and often not even listed in the libraries.

The published review covers studies of several types of studies on parasitic protozoans. Articles compiled were originally in English, Russian and Estonain. A short review is presented here in bullitform:


Picture (Robot Nine)

Babesia spp. (babesiosis)
Cattle: Prevalence studies and control efforts in the 1960'ies

Cryptosporidium spp. (cryptosporidiosis, coccidiosis)
Cattle: An outbreak study in an Estonian farm (2004)
Pigs: Studies of different production systems discovered the parasite more frequently in organic farms.

Eimeria spp. (eimeriosis, coccidiosis) 
Cattle: Prevalence studies in the 1970'ies and 1980'ies. Species distributions. Control methods and effect of disease.
Pigs: Post-mortem diagnosis of gastro-intestinal infections such as coccidiosis. Studies of species distribution in different production systems (including domesticated wild boar).
Sheep: Frequency of signs of coccidiosis. Prevalence in lambs and ewes.
Poultry: Mortality rates (1948-1950). Outbreak control using different drugs. Reporting of species (E. sporadica).

Isospora suis (isosporiasis)
Pigs: Prevalence studies.

Sarcocystis spp. (sarcocystiosis)
Cattle: Prevalence. Diagnosis of parasite distribution in different organs. Cases of Cystoisospora spp.


Toxoplasma gondii (toxoplasmosis)
Cats: Case-control study using Toltrazuril.
Humans: Sero-prevalence in humans.

Picture (Vikerraadio): Tartu University rector and professor Alar Karis started his academic career with Eimeria in cattle.


READ MORE IN THE OPEN SCIENCE ARTICLE ONLINE:

Lassen, Brian; Talvik, Heli (2009). Parasitic protozoans in livestock and pets in Estonia. Review. Veterinarija ir Zootechnika, 46 (68), 30 - 36.