Cystic echinococcosis in Jordan: socioeconomic evaluation and risk factors

The costs of illness and surgical intervention for human cystic echinococcosis (CE) cases in Jordan was economically evaluated by 77 surgeons and 77 CE patients. The cost of diagnosis for each CE case was 111.30 US Dollars and 146.20 US Dollars as estimated by surgeons and patients, respectively. The cost of surgical extraction of hydatid cysts for each case was 590.20 US Dollars and 638.50 US Dollars as estimated by both groups, respectively. Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of 77 CE patients as well as several Jordanian groups with different occupations including 144 shepherds, 119 settled livestock owners, 25 slaughter house workers, 400 university students and 80 inhabitants of a CE focus in southern Jordan were analyzed through a set of questionnaires. All of these groups had poor knowledge of CE, especially the source and causes of infection. All practices and attitudes of each group favored continuous transmission of the parasite and indicate the need for the implementation of a proper control program in the country.