Risk factors for wildlife-transmitted diseases in communities engaged in wildlife consumption– A case study on neotropical echinococcosis

Abstract

Neotropical echinococcosis (NE) is a neglected zoonotic disease in tropical Latin America caused by Echinococcus vogeli. This study analyzed behavioral factors influencing NE transmission across 52 settlements, including rural and urban sites (285 respondents) within its distribution range. Of the surveyed communities, cysts in pacas associated with E. vogeli were reported in 86.5 % of Amazonian rural communities, 75.0 % of Amazonian cities, and 75.0 % of non-Amazonian rural areas. However, only 43.7 % of respondents in Amazonian rural communities and 23.1 % in non-Amazonian rural communities perceived these lesions as dangerous. Discarded livers were often fed to dogs, particularly in Amazonian rural (62.0 %) and non-Amazonian rural (43.6 %) communities, perpetuating the parasite's cycle. Routine dog deworming was also infrequent in rural areas (13.1 % in Amazonian rural and 38.5 % in non-Amazonian rural communities) in comparison to Amazonian cities (72.7 %). Additionally, limited access to healthcare in rural regions likely delays diagnoses, worsening disease outcomes. Human activities, such as handling wild meat and feeding infected organs to dogs, are key to disease transmission. High-risk practices for E. vogeli transmission are significantly more frequent in rural communities. Preventive strategies should focus on wildlife handling and domestic animal sanitation to reduce NE and other zoonotic diseases related to the wild meat chain, especially in rural areas.