Cystic echinococcosis in central Anatolia, Turkey

ABSTRACT

Human cystic echinococcosis [CE] caused by infection with a larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus is a serious public health problem in Turkey. Echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease; dogs and livestock are important hosts in transmission. The aim of this study is to evaluate the rate of CE in Kayseri Rural Area, Central Anatolia, Turkey. At the present study, we planned to evaluate the rate of CE in Kayseri rural area in Central Anatolia between 2000 and 2002. We investigated 2,242 subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and indirect fluorescence antibody [IFA], and we examined the seropositivity by using Western blotting [WB]. The seropositivity rate was 2.7% by ELISA and IFA. We retested seropositive serum samples and 200 seronegative sera by WB. Seropositive serum samples were studied using abdominal ultrasound and chest x-ray to confirmed the presence of hydatid cyst and we found 10 [0.5%] different localized cysts. The results of our study indicate that Kayseri rural area has a high endemicity of human CE