Cystic and Alveolar Echinococcosis: an Epidemiological Survey in a Tibetan Population in Southeast Qinghai, China

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases Vol. 61; no. 3; pp. 242 - 246
• Main Authors: Sen-Hai, Yu, Hu, Wang, Xian-Hong, Wu, Xiao, Ma, Pei-Yun, Liu, Yu-Fang, Liu, Yan-Mei, Zhao, Morishima, Yasuyuki, Kawanaka, Masanori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases 28.05.2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Antibodies, Helminth - blood; Antigens, Helminth - immunology; Cattle; Child; China - epidemiology; China - ethnology; Dog Diseases - epidemiology; Dog Diseases - immunology; Dog Diseases - parasitology; Dogs; Echinococcosis - diagnostic imaging; Echinococcosis - epidemiology; Echinococcosis - immunology; Echinococcosis - parasitology; Echinococcus granulosus - immunology; Echinococcus multilocularis - immunology; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Sheep; Sheep Diseases - epidemiology; Sheep Diseases - immunology; Sheep Diseases - parasitology; Tibet; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 1344-6304; 1884-2836
• DOI: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2008.242

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.