Epidemiology of alveolar echinococcosis in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China: a preliminary analysis

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region (XUAR) in north-western China is known to be endemic for Echinococcosis multilocularis, the causative agent of hu man alveolar echinococcosis (HAE). Despite regular reports of HAE cases in their region, very little is known about the local epidemiology of the dise ase or the transmission of E, multilocularis. The epidemiology of HAE in Xi njiang has now been investigated by the analysis of data collected from the medical records of 157 clinical cases who had attended the four main hospi tals in the region. These data indicate that the disease is relatively comm on in the Altai, western Junggar, and Tianshan mountain ranges, whereas the Tarim and Junggar basins are likely to be of low endemicity. The prevalenc e of the disease in the Kunlun mountains is not clear. Semi-nomadic groups, especially those of Kazakh or Mongol origin, have a higher risk of infecti on than other ethnic groups. Prevalence of the disease in humans appears to be correlated with aspects of the local climate, such as annual precipitat ion and temperature. Red foxes, Microtinae, Ochotona spp, and Marmota spp. may be important hosts of E. multilocularis is in the XUAR, sustaining the transmission cycles of the parasite.