EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEY ON FRESHWATER FISH-BORNE PARASITIC ZOONOSES: STUDY OF BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS INFLUENCING THE OCCURRENCE OF ZOONOTIC HELMINTHS IN FRESHWATER FISH POPULATIONS FROM NORTHERN ITALY AND IDENTIFICATION OF MAIN RISK FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR TRANSMISSION TO MAN

Main aims of the project are: - to assess geographical and seasonal distribution, prevalence, intensity and abundance of Diphyllobothriids, Opisthorchiids and other zoonotic parasites in wild freshwater fish populations in order to map the zoonotic risk in Northern Italy with main reference to fish species at risk of being raw-consumed; - to study the abiotic/biotic factors characterizing the aquatic environments under study in relation to biology and epidemiology of zoonotic helminths; - to check the health hazard referable to the possible presence of zoonotic helminths in susceptible fish species which are farmed in systems connected to the environments under study; - to furnish comprehensive epidemiological data on zoonotic parasites in fish populations from different lacustrine and farm environments in Northern Italy in order to assess the health risk linked to consumption of local raw fish-based traditional and/or typical dishes.