The global epidemiology of clonorchiasis and its relation with cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

This paper reviews the epidemiological status and characteristics of clonorchiasis at global level and the etiological relationship betweenClonorchis sinensisinfection and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). A conservative estimation was made that 15 million people were infected in the world in 2004, of which over 85% distributed in China. The epidemiology of clonorchiasis is characterized by rising trend in its prevalence, variability among sexes and age, as well as endemicity in different regions. More data indicate thatC. sinensisinfection is carcinogenic to human, and it is predicted that nearly 5 000 CCA cases attributed toC. sinensisinfection may occur annually in the world decades later, with its overall odds ratio of 4.47. Clonorchiasis is becoming one major public health problem in east Asia, and it is worthwhile to carry out further epidemiological studies.