Dangerous disease in Ukraine: don't kiss dogs and wash your hands to avoid getting infected
Dangerous parasite and poisoning of children: alarming cases of illnesses are being reported in Ukraine
In the Chernihiv region a case of a dangerous parasitic disease — echinococcosis — has been registered. As the regional disease prevention center reported on 23 March 2026, the disease was found in a 62-year-old woman.
Experts explain that echinococcosis is caused by the larvae of a helminth and has a chronic course. Cysts form in a person’s internal organs — most often in the liver and lungs, but the brain can also be affected. The source of infection is usually dogs that excrete the parasite’s eggs with feces. A person can become infected through dirty hands after contact with animals or when consuming unwashed food and contaminated water.
The disease can remain asymptomatic for a long time, however among the symptoms are allergic reactions, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain. In severe cases, anaphylactic shock is even possible. Treatment most often requires surgical intervention. Medics emphasize prevention: regular deworming of household animals, maintaining hygiene, avoiding contact with stray dogs, and thoroughly washing food.
Against this background in Mykolaiv another alarming incident is being investigated, this time related to acute intestinal infections among children. Initially four cases of the illness were recorded, but the number of affected later increased. According to preliminary data, the children may have been poisoned after consuming food — in particular chicken nuggets, pizza, and burgers — at the entertainment complex «Хепі Ленд». The establishment was temporarily closed for inspection. The district prosecutor’s office of Mykolaiv has opened a pre-trial investigation into the mass poisoning of children. All circumstances of the incident and the source of infection are currently being established.
In Mykolaiv, the children’s center “Happy Land” was closed after children were poisoned
Thus, several health-threatening situations in Ukraine once again highlight a simple but critically important thing — observing hygiene and controlling the safety of food and contacts with animals.
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