Objective: To understand the endemic status of echinococcosis in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to provide scientific basis for planning and promoting control measures in this region. Methods Eight hundred people of all age ranges were examined in each of the selected agricultural area, pastoral area, pastoral-agricultural area, and township area of 92 counties in 14 prefectures in Xinjiang during March and October of 2012, resulting in a total of 3 200 people surveyed in each county. B ultrasonic abdominal scan was performed, accompanied by serum antibody detection for suspected cases.
Methods: Eight hundred people of all age ranges were examined in each of the selected agricultural area, pastoral area, pastoral-agricultural area, and township area of 92 counties in 14 prefectures in Xinjiang during March and October of 2012, resulting in a total of 3 200 people surveyed in each county. B ultrasonic abdominal scan was performed, accompanied by serum antibody detection for suspected cases.
Results: A total of 293 140 people were examined. The overall morbidity was 0.14%（407/293 140）. The morbidity in the north region was 0.18%（290/158 985, 71.25%of all the cases）, and that in the south region was 0.09%（117/134 155, 28.75% of all the cases）（P<0.05 between the regions）. The cases were mainly distributed in Urumqi City（19.90%, 81/407）, Tarbagatai Prefecture（13.27%, 54/407）, Yili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture（13.02%, 53/407） and Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture（9.83%, 40/407）. The prevalence was higher in Mongolian［0.42%（21/5 045）］ and Kirgiz ［0.35%（32/9 045）］ than in other ethnic groups（0.07%-0.22%）（P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in prevalence between males［0.13%（195/144 715）］ and females［0.14%（212/148 425）］ （P>0.05）. The prevalence was lowest in the 0-9 year group［0.07%（7/10 754）］, and higher in the the age groups of 70-79［0.27%（33/12 310）］ and 80-99 years［0.28%（7/2 461）］, showing a trend of elevation with ageing. Further, the cases were mainly in the population of 30-49 years（43%, 175/407）. The prevalence was higher in the uneducated［0.25%, 39/15 470］ than in the educated populations（0.06%-0.14%）（P＜0.05）, and higher in pastoralists［0.29%, 63/22 074］ than in populations with other occupations（0.00%-0.13%）（P<0.05）. The prevalence in pastoral area, agricultural area, pastoral-agricultural area, and township area was 0.16%（70/44 247）, 0.16%（181/113 016）, 0.12%（88/70 610） and 0.10%（68/65 267）, respectively. The township area had the lowest prevalence, which was significantly different from both the pastoral area and the agricultural area (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Echincoccosis is widely distributed in Xinjiang, with more cases in the north.