[Clinicoepidemiological features of echinococcosis in men serving in the navy]

To analyse echinococcosis morbidity and course characteristics in men serving in the Navy.

The results of annual 1983-2006 check-up of Navy men were analysed to estimate echinococcosis morbidity in patients with eosinophilia and tumors including cysts. The diagnosis was made with application of clinical, ultrasound, radionuclide, morphological (including parasitological), biochemical and immunological methods, computed tomography.

14 cases of hydatid echinococcosis were documented. Most of the patients (85.7%) were young (18-22 years of age). The patients were infected before the army in highly endemic regions. Solitary echinococcosis was detected in 8 patients. In multiple echinococcosis 1 patient had 4 cysts, 3 patients--3, 2 patients had 2 cysts. Echinococcosis of stage 1 was diagnosed in 3 patients, stage 2--in 11 patients. All the patients had cysts in the liver. In multiple echinococcosis the cysts occurred more often in the liver, spleen, kidney; they were rare in the lungs, bones, brain. Pain, asthenovegetative, dyspeptic and allergic syndromes were registered in 71.4, 28.6, 14.3 and 7.1 cases, respectively. Eosinophilia was encountered in 42.9% cases. These syndromes were, as a rule, weakly pronounced. Before accurate diagnosis 6 patients for 4-10 months were treated outpatiently for chronic gastroduodenitis, recurrent lumbalgia, biliary dyskinesia and intercostal neuralgia.

Echinococcosis incidence rate in the Navy men is very low. They are infected before the army. The disease is diagnosed by chance or late, manifests primarily with pain symptoms.