Human hydatidosis in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, 1987-1992.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of human hydatidosis in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.


METHODS
Data on human hydatid infection occurring between 1987 and 1992 were collected retrospectively from 25 hospitals and 13 health services in New South Wales and four hospitals in the Australian Capital Territory. Mean annual prevalences of human hydatidosis were determined for shires in eastern New South Wales and data on infection in immigrants and Australian-born patients were compared.


RESULTS
321 patients were diagnosed with hydatid disease, 1987-1992; 195 were new cases and 117 readmissions (nine cases were not identified as new or recurrent). Most patients lived in the eastern half of New South Wales (which includes the Australian Capital Territory), half in rural areas and half in the major coastal cities. Most Australian-born rural patients lived in 39 shires in the north-eastern and south-eastern Tablelands. Sixty per cent of the patients in major cities were born overseas.


CONCLUSIONS
Hydatid infection occurs more commonly in south-eastern Australia than the official figures suggest. In rural areas of the north-eastern and south-eastern Tablelands hydatid infection is of public health importance. The national notification system must be improved and control campaigns alerting the public to the dangers of hydatid infection promoted.
Jenkins
D J
DJ
Australian Hydatid Control and Epidemiology Program, Canberra.
Power
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole