Seroepidemiology of Hydatid Cyst in Outpatients Attending Health Centers in Arak City, Iran, 2020

Background and Objective: Hydatidosis is one of the most important zoonotic infections that is a health-economic concern in endemic areas. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of hydatidosis in Arak, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 456 individuals attending health centers in Arak in 2020. Blood samples were taken from the subjects and tested for anti-Echinococcus antibodies by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-immunoglobulin G test. The collected data were then analyzed. Results: It was revealed that 6 out of 456 subjects had anti- Echinococcus antibodies (1.3%, 95% confidence interval: 0.3-2.3) The mean age of the participants was 58.8±19.9 years, and frequencies of seropositive individuals were 1.6% and 1% in men and women, respectively. Moreover, 5 (1.4%) and 1 (1%) urban and rural residents were found seropositive, respectively. According to the results, 93.4% of the participants were unaware of hydatid cyst disease and 21.5% of the cases had contact with dogs (P<0.05). It was found that 213 (46.7%) individuals used only water or saltwater to wash vegetables, and all seropositive subjects were observed in this group (P=0.01). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the seroprevalence of hydatidosis was significant in Arak. Therefore, due to the health importance of hydatidosis and its endemicity in this area, it is necessary to adopt health measures to control and prevent this parasitic infection.