First Portable Ultrasound Based Screening Study in Bulgaria on the Prevalence of Cystic Echinococcosis in Kardzhali District

PURPOSE: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a serious medical and social problem for the public healthcare in Bulgaria. The average incidence of the disease remains steady during the past 5 years-4.45/100000, while the average incidence rate for Kardzhali region was 8.02/100000. These data however do not reveal the morbidity of cystic echinoccoccosis in various settlements in the region. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for CE using a portable ultrasound in Kardzhali District. METHODS: From February till Аpril 2014 abdominal ultrasound examination were performed in 642 volunteers including 302 (47%) males and 340 (53%) females, aged from 1 to 88 years. All underwent a questionnaire survey and abdominal ultrasound examination. The WHO-Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis standardized classification was used. RESULTS: Volunteers from 4 villages in Kirkovo municipality, District Kardzhali, participated in the screening. Two patients with liver CE were detected, one of them relapse. The total prevalence of confirmed human CE (new and existing cases) was 1.25 (8/642) and ultrasound CE prevalence was 0.3% (2/642) in the current study. CONLUSIONS: The CE prevalence of 0.3% indicates an important public health problem in rural areas of Kardzhali District demanding further portable ultrasound investigation.