[Echinococcosis in Bosnia and Herzegovina].

Echinococcosis is zoonosis transmitted by dogs in livestock-raising areas and accidentally affects man. Disease is endemic in certain parts of the world, including our country particularly region of Herzegovina. The most frequent site of hydatid cysts in the liver (78 %), followed by the lungs (17 %), and less frequently, the spleen, kidneys, heart, bones, central nervous system, and elsewhere. The diagnosis is based on clinical features, imaging examinations and serology. In the treatment of hydatidosis, three options are available: surgery, medical treatment by benzimidazole carbamates and percutaneous drainage. Drug therapy has scolicidal activity bat are clinically effective in less than 30 % of patients with hepatic hydatidosis. Surgery is no longer the treatment of first choice for hydatidosis located in abdomen. Percutaneous drainage associated with albendazole therapy is safe and efficient treatment for hydatid cysts in abdomen and retroperitoneal space. Surgery should be reserved for patient with hydatid cysts where PAIR with albendazole therapy can not be performed. Moreover, a multidisciplinary approach is advisable to assure a better clinical management to patients with cystic echinococcosis and eradication of hydatidosis. The socio-economic impact of cystic echinococcosis is reviewed with special reference to the following topics: consequences in man and livestock, costs and benefits of control programmes and economic procedures for evaluating control programmes. The durability of control programs is the corner stone for obtaining a significant decrease of hydatid infection. Many consequences in man and livestock are difficult to evaluate from an economic point of view, because some basic data are difficult to obtain in our country. Health education represents essential elements in the control and eradication campaigns of echinococcosis/hydatidosis.