Autochthonous human cystic echinococcosis diagnosed in urban areas in a children’s hospital in Lima, Peru (1998-2010)

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to demonstrate the presence of autochthonous cases of human cystic echinococcosis admitted to the National Institute of Child Health during the period between 1998 and 2010. With the design of an epidemiological research form, variables that determine the autochthonous or imported cases in patients born in Metropolitan Lima and Callao were recorded. Data were analyzed with SPSS 15.0. Three hundred and thirty-three patients were diagnosed with cystic echinococcosis, 27 of which were confirmed and corroborated as autochthonous cases and 316 as imported cases. From the autochthonous cases, 13 were male and 14 female. The anatomical locations of the cysts were: liver (33.3%), lung (26.9%), liver and lung (29.6%), muscle (3.7%) and brain (3.7%). The most frequent potential exposure variables to infections with cystic echinococcosis among autochthonous cases were: dog breeding (85.2%); living close to the market (37.0%); dogs that eat on the street (29.6%); home location close to a slaughterhouse or shelter (25.9%); taking stray or abandoned dogs from the streets (25.9%), and allowing dogs to lick you (25.9%). The study findings should alert health authorities about the spread of the disease and about the need to implement intervention programs to prevent and control this zoonosis.