A retrospective study of human cystic echinococcosis in Basrah province, Iraq

Abstract

Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a parasitic zoonosis with serious clinical burden and constitutes a challenge to public health in endemic areas worldwide. We performed a retrospective study to investigate the occurrence of CE in patients at six hospitals in Basrah province, Iraq. In the current study setting, data retrieval and validation of the quality of hospital records was very challenging considering the difficult situation Iraq is unfortunately facing. Hospitalization records were reviewed from January 2005 to December 2015. A total of 748 cases of human with CE were diagnosed and operated in Basrah hospitals, equivalent to an annual clinical incidence of approximately 4.5 cases per 100 000 people. Hospital records show that, cystic echinococcosis affected more females (61.2%) than males (38.8%). Descriptive review of recorded CE cases in the surveyed hospitals revealed that more cases were reported in the age group of 21-30 years than in the other age groups. Based on the reviewed recorded clinical reports, cysts were mainly found in the liver (46.3%) and lungs (28.1%) of the patients. Hospital reports demonstrate that females had more hepatic cysts (63.9%) than males (36.1%). This study found that CE continues to pose a threat to public health in Basrah, and there is a need for more epidemiological investigations of CE in humans in order to determine risk factors and the economic impact of the disease in this province of Iraq.

A Retrospective Analysis on the Cystic Echinococcosis Cases Occured in Northeastern Punjab Province, Pakistan

“…In the current analysis, gender distribution of CE was studied based on hospitalization records and it revealed that females (58.5%) acquired more disease than males. Similar findings were reported in Iraq [ 27 ] and Iran [ 16 ]. The probable reason for this can be increased interaction to potential risk factors including livestock management and poor living hygenic conditions.…”

“…In the present study age distribution showed that the highest number of infected individuals lied in 21–30 years. Similar retrospective studies in Iraq showed high rate same higher rate of infection among 21 to 30 years age group [ 27 ]. the mean affected age in current study was 35+−17.…”

Human cystic echinococcosis in southwest Iran: a 15-year retrospective epidemiological analysis of 501 consecutive hospitalized cases (2004-2018)

“…In the current study, women were found to be at higher risk of CE infection than men. This finding is in line with our previous study and also a study by Abdulhameed in Iraq, where females were reported to be the main victim of CE, in a retrospective hospital-based study conducted in a neighboring city, Basrah in Iraq [5,13]. Previous studies suggested that women have the highest chance of contact with sources of infection such as dogs, soil, vegetable, etc.…”

“…The incidence rate of CE in Iran has been reported to be 1.3-3/100,000 population. A higher rate of incidence (4.5 cases/100,000 /year) has been reported in neighboring Iraq [13].…”

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of 50 Patients with Surgically Treated Cystic Echinococcosis from Basrah Province, Iraq

“…Official written approval to review hospital records and to contact patients was obtained from the Ministry of Health in Iraq and from the Basrah Health Directorate. Of six hospitals in Basrah from which previous incidence data had been collected [15], four gave permission to interview hospitalised patients with CE after surgical intervention, or to contact patients who had undergone surgery between 2014 and 2016. The hospitals were visited four times a week from May to July 2016, and 19 current patients were recruited.…”