Hydatid disease in western region of Iraq: a review of the case records of Saddam general hospital in Ramadi

ABSTRACT

The surgical records of all patients admitted to Saddam General Hospital In Ramadi were reviewed for the five-year period 1987 through 1991 and 173 cases of surgically proved hydatid disease were identified, with a proportional rate of 10.2 cases per 1000 surgical admissions, Patients were admitted from allover Al-Anbar governorate. The annual case rate for the governorate for the study period was 4.9 per 100.000 population. Patients age ranged between 20 and 49 years in more than 60% of the cases, with a peak incidence at 20-29 year age group. There was a predominance of female to male patients with a male female ratio of 0.21; the females being mostly housewives, The liver was involved in 74% of cases of hydatid disease, the lung being the next. The public health importance of the disease and the need for further studies are discussed