Clinical and epidemiological aspects of human echinococcosis in the Аstrakhan region for 2001-2020

Abstract

The study was conducted to study and analyze the clinical and epidemiological aspects of human echinococcal lesions in the Astrakhan region for 2001-2020. In total, 182 cases of human infection with echinococcus were registered during the analyzed period. The largest number of cases was observed from 2008 to 2016 – 121 (66.5%) cases. Echinococcosis was registered in both men – 70 (38.5%) and women – 112 (61.5%). The age of those infected with echinococcus ranged from 5 to 83 years. Most often – 156 (85.7%) patients aged 17 and older were infected with echinococcosis. The number of children with echinococcosis was 26 (14.3%). Most often, the parasite was localized in its typical places (liver, one or both lungs, liver and lung) – 175 (96.2%) cases. The preliminary diagnosis of "Echinococcosis" was made mainly on the basis of clinical symptoms and complaints of patients – 168 (92.3%). The correct diagnosis – suspicion of echinococcal invasion was made in 157 (86.3%) cases, including echinococcosis of the liver – 129 (82.2%), lung – 11 (7.0%), liver and lung – 7 (4.5%), rare localization (echinococcosis of the heart, kidney and brain, retroperitoneal echinococcosis echinococcosis of the abdominal cavity and bladder, echinococcosis of the subdiaphragmatic space, echinococcosis of the liver, lumbar muscle and brain, echinococcosis of the liver and right shoulder, echinococcosis of the spleen, echinococcosis of the kidney, echinococcosis of both lungs, parasitic cysts of the abdominal cavity) – 1 (0.6%). To confirm the final diagnosis, all patients underwent an immunological blood test (the method of enzyme immunoassay), which showed the presence of antibodies to echinococcal antigens in 160 (87.9%) people. The problem of infection with echinococcus in the Astrakhan region remains tense, as evidenced by the increase in the number of cases of this disease. The location of the parasite is not only the liver and/or one or both lungs, but also other internal organs. The main complaints of patients are pain in the supposed location of the parasitic cyst and severity in the epigastric region. The main methods of diagnosis of echinococcosis are enzyme immunoassay, computed tomography and ultrasound examination. The lack of timely surgical treatment of echinococcosis in the future can lead to a fatal outcome.

Keywords

• echinococcus
• liver
• lungs
• enzyme immunoassay
• computed tomography