title: Seroepidemiology of fascioliasis in the Antalya region and uselessness of eosinophil count as a surrogate marker and portable ultrasonography for epidemiological surveillance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fascioliasis is a great tropical disease all over the world so we tried to investigate the incidence of fascioliasis in the Antalya region of Turkey and also to find an answer to the question if initial ultrasonographic examination (US) and eosinophil count is a predictive sign in diagnosis of fascioliasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 597 adult persons were included. All cases were examined for eosinophilia and antibodies against Fasciola hepatica by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 344 of them were examined by portable US.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ELISA was positive in 18 (3%) of 597 persons. This rate is appropriate for the definition of mesoendemic region for human fascioliasis. Among seropositive people only 2 (11.11%) cases had eosinophilia (p =0.3). US findings were not related to fascioliasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future epidemiologic studies are required in order to find the real situation of fascioliasis in Turkey as in the world and initial US and eosinophil count is not useful predictive method for fascioliasis prevalence.
authors: Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department, Antalya, Turkey.
authors: Ozge
authors: O
authors: Turhan
authors: Metin
authors: M
authors: Korkmaz
authors: Rabin
authors: R
authors: Saba
authors: Adnan
authors: A
authors: Kabaaaliogu
authors: Dilara
authors: D
authors: Inan
authors: Latife
authors: L
authors: Mamikoglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004804:Eosinophils; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography