Cystic and alveolar echinococcosis: an epidemiological survey in a Tibetan population in southeast Qinghai, China.
An epidemiological investigation on echinococcosis was made in Jiuzhi County of Qinghai Province, western China. Ultrasonography and an indirect hemagglutination test revealed a morbidity of 8.0% (124/1,549) and a seroprevalence of 25.8% (287/1,113), respectively, in the Tibetan population. The morbidity in herdsmen (16.6%) and Buddhist priests (15%) was significantly higher than that in other occupation groups (3.2%), and it was higher in females (9.8%) than in males (6.2%). The ultrasound images showed a coexistence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE), occupying 69 and 31% of the cases, respectively. An Echinococcus Western blot assay was performed as a serological backup test for differentiating CE and AE. The assay revealed that serum samples from most cases with a positive AE image showed a specific antibody against antigen bands at 16/18 kDa. Autopsy proved that 9 out of 12 stray dogs were infected with Echinococcus granulosus (n = 8) and E. multilocularis (n = 1). Inspection at the abattoirs demonstrated a hydatid rate of 78.5% in yaks and 82.6% in sheep. The data indicate that Jiuzhi County is an important endemic area for both CE and AE, in both human and animal populations.
Yu
Sen-Hai
SH
National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
Wang
Hu
H
Wu
Xian-Hong
XH
Ma
Xiao
X
Liu
Pei-Yun
PY
Liu
Yu-Fang
YF
Zhao
Yan-Mei
YM
Morishima
Yasuyuki
Y
Kawanaka
Masanori
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000276:immunology*; D048210:Echinococcus multilocularis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D018609:Tibet; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth