TY - JOUR
T1 - Cystic echinococcosis in a single tertiary care center in Rome, Italy
AU - Petrone, Linda
AU - Cuzzi, Gilda
AU - Colace, Lidia
AU - Ettorre, Giuseppe Maria
AU - Busi-Rizzi, Elisa
AU - Schininà, Vincenzo
AU - Pucillo, Leopoldo
AU - Angeletti, Claudio
AU - Pane, Stefania
AU - Di Caro, Antonino
AU - Bordi, Eugenio
AU - Girardi, Enrico
AU - Pozio, Edoardo
AU - Corpolongo, Angela
AU - Teggi, Antonella
AU - Brunetti, Enrico
AU - Goletti, Delia
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Background. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic, clinically complex, and neglected disease. Its prevalence in Italy, a country of medium to high endemicity, remains poorly defined, as notification has long ceased to be mandatory. Methods. We set up a retrospective cohort study involving all CE patients followed at our institute between January 2005 and December 2012. Demographical and clinical features were recorded and analyzed. Results. CE was found in 28 patients (64.3%), mostly Italians from the central regions (50%), followed by subjects from the islands (33.3%) and Southern Italy (16.7%). Their median age was 45 years (IQR: 38.5-66.5), with Eastern Europeans being significantly younger (28 years, IQR: 19-39) than other patients (P ≤ 0.0001). A total of 149 cysts, mostly with hepatic localization (96%), were described. Based on the WHO classification, the cysts were mainly small (80.5%) and active (CE1 (73.8%); CE2 (7.4%)). Active cysts were more common in Eastern Europeans (85.7%) than Italians (66.7%). Conclusion. Our data confirm CE occurrence in Italy. We emphasize the importance to have a national CE registry, opportunely recently introduced. This is essential to assess CE prevalence in this country, implement appropriate control measures, and improve patient management.
AB - Background. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic, clinically complex, and neglected disease. Its prevalence in Italy, a country of medium to high endemicity, remains poorly defined, as notification has long ceased to be mandatory. Methods. We set up a retrospective cohort study involving all CE patients followed at our institute between January 2005 and December 2012. Demographical and clinical features were recorded and analyzed. Results. CE was found in 28 patients (64.3%), mostly Italians from the central regions (50%), followed by subjects from the islands (33.3%) and Southern Italy (16.7%). Their median age was 45 years (IQR: 38.5-66.5), with Eastern Europeans being significantly younger (28 years, IQR: 19-39) than other patients (P ≤ 0.0001). A total of 149 cysts, mostly with hepatic localization (96%), were described. Based on the WHO classification, the cysts were mainly small (80.5%) and active (CE1 (73.8%); CE2 (7.4%)). Active cysts were more common in Eastern Europeans (85.7%) than Italians (66.7%). Conclusion. Our data confirm CE occurrence in Italy. We emphasize the importance to have a national CE registry, opportunely recently introduced. This is essential to assess CE prevalence in this country, implement appropriate control measures, and improve patient management.
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U2 - 10.1155/2013/978146
DO - 10.1155/2013/978146
M3 - Article
C2 - 24151631
AN - SCOPUS:84885578884
VL - 2013
JO - BioMed Research International
JF - BioMed Research International
SN - 2314-6133
M1 - 978146
ER -