Epidemiologic and ultrasonographic study of echinococcosis in a community in the state of Mexico

Abstract

No epidemiologic study for cystic echinococcosis in Mexico has yet been described. The objective of this work was to determine the prevalence and distribution of human echinococcosis in a community of the state of Mexico and its probable risk factors. A cross-sectional study was performed; household census was used to randomly select houses. The larval stage of Echinococcus was searched by ultrasound in liver, spleen, and kidney. A questionnaire was used for the investigation of risk factors. The study was performed with 401 persons, 64% were female. The prevalence of echinococcosis was 0.75%. Cases were distributed in the same sector of the community. The close distribution of cases suggests the same exposure source. There were 426 dogs in the community; feces were collected from 414 of these in search of cestode eggs. After treatment, 3 dogs had Taenia pisiformis but none had Echinococcus. This paper pioneers the search of human echinococcosis in Mexico because it provides evidence of the presence of this tissue parasite at the community level.