Programme for ultrasound diagnoses and treatment with albendazole of cystic echinococcosis in asymptomatic carriers: 10 years of follow-up of cases.
Cystic echinococcosis is an endemic disease in the Province of Rio Negro, Argentina. Ultrasound surveys carried out in 1984 found prevalence rates of 5.6% in children between 6 and 14 years of age.


OBJECTIVE
To describe and to evaluate the results of the strategy applied in school children by hospital services of the Province of Rio Negro with regard to diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of cystic echinococcosis and to evaluate simultaneously the results of the control program against cystic echinococcosis.


METHODS
In 1997 ultrasound was chosen to carry out population surveys and the medical treatment criteria for the detected cases were standardized. The population under study involved 5745 students in the first survey and 22,793 in subsequent studies. The detected cases were classified according to Gharbi's scheme. A treatment algorithm was defined based only on monitoring ("watch and wait"), albendazole, surgery (open or laparoscopic) or mini-invasive procedures, according to type, location and size of the cyst. Information was also obtained on cases notified to the Health System between 1980 and 2008.


RESULTS
In the first survey, 70 carriers (1.2%) were detected; of these, 25 started albendazole treatment (35.7%) and only 3 (4.3%) underwent surgery. Ten years after treatment, 60.1% of 42 cases, presented Types IV and V cysts and 14.5% presented total involution of their cysts. In subsequent studies, 87 (0.4%) cases were detected, 49 of which started albendazole treatment (56.3%) and 9 underwent surgery (10.3%). The incidence rate of cystic echinococcosis cases decreased from 38×100,000 in 1980 to 3.7×100,000 in 2008.


CONCLUSIONS
A strong decrease in cystic echinococcosis was obtained although persistent levels of transmission were maintained. The cases produced under these conditions are diagnosed by means of ultrasound surveys and are treated using a plan based on albendazole and monitoring by the Health System during a period of 10 years.
Larrieu
Edmundo
E
Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias de la Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Argentina. elarrieu@salud.rionegro.gov.ar
Del Carpio
Mario
M
Mercapide
Carlos Hugo
CH
Salvitti
Juan Carlos
JC
Sustercic
Jose
J
Moguilensky
Jorge
J
Panomarenko
Héctor
H
Uchiumi
Leonardo
L
Herrero
Eduardo
E
Talmon
Gabriel
G
Volpe
Marcela
M
Araya
Daniel
D
Mujica
Gabriel
G
Mancini
Sergio
S
Labanchi
José Luis
JL
Odriozola
Martín
M
D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002648:Child; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole