Ultrasound and Serology For Diagnosis of Human Cystic Echinococcosis in An Endemic Zone in China

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a public health concern in China. However, the incidence and prevalence of CE in the Chinese province of Gansu is not well known. CE diagnosis is often limited to ultrasonography (US) and serological tests. We have assessed the use of these two approaches for diagnosis of CE in the Xiahe county (Gannan prefecture, Gansu province), an endemic area in the northwest of China. This was a community-based cross-sectional study involving 972 people selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling. CE was investigated by US and serology, using a commercially available ELISA test. Eighty-four individuals tested positive for serology, out of whom 74 (88.10%) were 21-60 years old. Twelve individuals were diagnosed by US. Overall, seroprevalence was 8.63%, and the rate of individuals diagnosed by US was 1.23%. Seroprevalence was higher among females than males (10.16% vs. 6.5%), while the rate of individuals diagnosed by US was slightly higher among males (1.22% vs. 0.89%). Our  results demonstrate that CE remains prevalent in the Gansu province. Serological monitoring can be a valuable tool for detection of infected individuals.