ABSTRACT

Echinococcosis is a common parasitic disease manifesting as cyst formation in humans and animals, caused by the platyhelminth, Echinococcosis and it is an important health problem in our country. The aim of this study was to acquire knowlodge about the topographic features, the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis and to predict its frequency in the Diyarbakir region. From 2005 to 2007, 234 patients who had been given a histopathological diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis were analysed retrospectively. Based on the pathological records age, sex and location of the parasite were evaluated, and if a patient had the parasite in more than one location, it was counted as one. Female patients constituted 60.25% of the cases, and males, 39.74% .The average age of the patients was 27.01 years (28.2 years in females and 25.3 years in males). The most frequent location of echinococcus was in the liver (44.01%), and the second in the lung (31.19%). In general the characteristics of the patients correlated with the characteristics of previous literatures results but the age of the patients when diagnosed was earlier than that previously reported in the literature. Cystic echinococcosis was found to be an important public health problem in Diyarbakir region. For the eradication of echinoccocosis it is necessary to get reliable data, and to implement an appropriate eradication program.

Keywords: Diyarbakir, cystic echinococcosis, histopathological diagnosis