Incidence, prevalence and geographic distribution of human alveolar echinococcosis in Austria from 1854 to 1990

Abstract

Since the second half of the last century it has been known that Austria--like southern Germany, eastern France and Switzerland--is a part of the Central European area of distribution of Echinococcus multilocularis (Em), the causative organism of alveolar echinococcosis (AE). Up until October 1990, 128 human AE cases were documented in Austria; personal, anamnestic and clinical data on the majority of these patients are available. Based on these data, epidemiological parameters (incidence, prevalence, geographic distribution, sex and age distribution, occupation) were evaluated so as to obtain information on the past and recent history of alveolar echinococcosis in Austria. The (retrospective) study led to the following results and conclusions: (a) the (documented) incidence (presently two cases/year) of AE in Austria is rather low; (b) the main endemic Em areas are situated in the western (Tyrol, Vorarlberg) and southern (Carinthia) provinces; (c) a new focus could be detected in Lower Austria (outside the Alps); (d) the sex ratio (M:F) of AE patients was 1.3:1; (e) the average age of men and women at the time of diagnosis was 44 and 47 years, respectively; (f) 98% of Austrian AE patients exhibited Em lesions in the liver; and (g) greater than 50% of AE patients were (or had been) farmers.