The socio-economic burden of cystic echinococcosis in Morocco: A combination of estimation method

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2020 Jul 31;14(7):e0008410. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008410. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a major zoonosis in Morocco despite the launch of a national control programme in 2005. As its economic consequences have not been studied yet in Morocco, this study estimated CE impact in terms of monetary losses, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), and DALY for zoonotic diseases (zDALY) in the entire country and in specific regions for the 2011 to 2014 period. The direct monetary losses were related to organ seizure from infected animal in slaughterhouses, and to healthcare expenses as well as lost wages for infected humans. Animal production losses concerned milk yield, fertility, carcass weight, and wool production. Losses due to human infection were also composed of disability and productivity losses at work. Monte Carlo simulations were used to estimate monetary losses and zDALY values. Nationwide, the estimated DALY was 0.5 years per 100,000 persons per year, and the zDALY was 55 years per 100,000 persons per year. Total yearly losses were estimated at 73 million USD (54-92 million USD). However, losses differed significantly among regions. Most of the economic losses consisted of unperceived consequences, i.e. decreased animal production and reduced productivity of asymptomatic individuals. Future studies should determine the socioeconomic and epidemiological factors underlying the differences in economic losses among regions to develop better adapted control programmes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Husbandry / economics
  • Animals
  • Echinococcosis / economics*
  • Echinococcosis / epidemiology*
  • Food Parasitology
  • Humans
  • Models, Economic
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Morocco / epidemiology
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Zoonoses / economics*
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology*

Grants and funding

This study received funding from the Academy of Research and Higher Education (ARES) of Belgium and University of Namur, Belgium, and Institute of Agronomic and Veterinary Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.