EmFaVie: Fighting the Emergence of Fascioliasis in Northern Vietnam

Fascioliasis is a severe foodborne disease, caused by the zoonotic parasite Fasciola, affecting the liver of both animals and humans. In Northern Vietnam, the number of human fascioliasis cases has exponentially risen over the past two decades. Aiming to contribute to the long-term goal to improve the health in Northern Vietnam by reducing the risk to acquire fascioliasis, this project envisages i) to strengthen the research capacity at the local institute NIMPE to study fascioliasis through advanced training, and laboratory optimization, and ii) to generate improved knowledge on fascioliasis epidemiology in all stakeholders, through both the collection of up to now missing data on Fasciola prevalence and associated risk factors in all life cycle actors, and improved knowledge flow back to the communities, local and national authorities. Continued research and extension activities should then lead to the identification of evidence-based control strategies, and behavioural changes, which may ultimately result in a reduction of new fascioliasis cases in Northern Vietnam.