Seroprevalence of Echinococcosis and Assessment of Behavioral Risk Factors for Echinococcoses in the Jeti-Oguz District of the Kyrgyz Republic using ELISA

Echinococcosis remains a relevant parasitic disease and a serious medical and social issue. Epidemiological features, risk factors, and preventive measures for cystic and alveolar echinococcosis are of particular interest, as these diseases have a chronic course and may lead to disability and death.
The aim of the study was to assess the seroprevalence of echinococcosis and to analyze behavioral risk factors for echinococcosis among the population of the JetiOguz district, Issyk-Kul Region, Kyrgyz Republic.
Materials and methods. The study involved questionnaire data and serological testing results from 826 individuals residing in 10 settlements of the Jeti-Oguz district, Issyk-Kul region, Kyrgyz Republic. ELISA was used to detect signs of current or past infection and to assess disease prevalence in the studied population. The study had a cross-sectional design and included a sociological survey, serological methods, and statistical analysis. Data processing was performed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software packages.
Results and discussion. The overall seroprevalence of echinococcosis was 8.2 %, with the highest rates observed in the 60–69 age group (14.3 %) and among women (66.2 %). Analysis of behavioral factors (presence and keeping of domestic animals, deworming, contact with dogs, and feeding of dogs with innards of slaughtered animals) did not reveal statistically significant associations with seropositivity (OR 0.395–1.215; 95% CI included 1; p>0.05), indicating the complex nature of infection transmission. The findings highlight the need for targeted preventive and educational programs, screening examinations, and control of sanitary safety in the endemic region.

1. World Health Organization. Echinococcosis. 2024. (Cited 16 Oct 2025). [Internet]. Available from: https://www.who.int/newsroom/fact-sheets/detail/echinococcosis.

2. Talafuhan W., Tuoheti K., Lixia Y., Shuang Q., Yeerjiang M., Aizezi G., Jingjing W., Mijiti P. Trends in incidence, mortality, and DALYs of cystic echinococcosis in Central Asia from 1992 to 2021: an age-period-cohort analysis. Front. Public Health. 2025; 12:1504481. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1504481.

3. Antolová D., Šnábel V., Jarošová J., Cavallero S., D’Amelio S., Syrota Y., Rosoľanka R., Avdičová M., Miterpáková M. Human alveolar echinococcosis in Slovakia: Epidemiology and genetic diversity of Echinococcus multilocularis, 2000–2023. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 2024; 18(1):e0011876. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011876.

4. Pakala T., Molina M., Wu G.Y. Hepatic echinococcal cysts: A review. J. Clin. Transl. Hepatol. 2016; 4(1):39–46. DOI: 10.14218/JCTH.2015.00036.

5. Raimkulov K., Aliev M., Toigombaeva V., Usubalieva Zh., Smailbekova Zh., Kuttubaev O., Tulekeev T., Sharsheeva B., Adambekova A., Golla N. Demographic characteristics and trends of hydatid disease in Kyrgyz Republic: a comprehensive analysis from 1986 to 2022. J. Commun. Dis. 2024; 56(1):120–6. DOI: 10.24321/0019.5138.202416.

6. Kuttubaev O.T., Isakov A., Raimkulov K., Kadyrov B., Sadykova G., Orozbekova A., Dzhumashev B., Dzhakshibaev S. [Epidemiological situation of echinococcosis in the Chon-Alaisk district of Osh region, Kyrgyz Republic]. Meditsinskaya Parazitologiya i Parazitarniye Bolezni [Medical Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases]. 2024; (3):24–9. DOI: 10.33092/0025-8326mp2024.3.24-29.

7. Raimkulov K.M., Sharsheeva B.K., Sabytbekova Zh.S., Zhekshenbekova А.Zh., Toigombaeva V.S., Kuttubaev O.T. Epidemiological analysis of echinococcosis morbidity and investigation of the infection rate and role of murine rodents in the spread of alveococcosis in the territories of Kara-Kulzhinsky and Chon-Alai districts of the Osh region. Mathews J. Vet. Sci. 2025; 9(1):62. DOI: 10.30654/MJVS.10062.

8. Khan A., Ahmed H., Simsek S., Afzal M.S., Cao J. Spread of cystic echinococcosis in Pakistan due to stray dogs and livestock slaughter practices: research priorities and public health implications. Front. Public Health. 2020; 7:412. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00412.

9. Wang X., Dai G., Li M., Jia W., Guo Z., Lu J. Prevalence of human alveolar echinococcosis in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2020; 20(1):1105. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-08989-8.

10. Torgerson P.R., Devleesschauwer B., Praet N., Speybroeck N., Willingham A.L., Kasuga F., Rokni M.B., Zhou X.N., Fèvre E.M., Sripa B., Gargouri N., Fürst T., Budke C.M., Carabin H., Kirk M.D., Angulo F.J., Havelaar A., de Silva N. World Health Organization estimates of the global and regional diseases burden of 11 food- borne parasitic diseases, 2010: A data synthesis. PLoS Med. 2015; 12:e1001920. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001920.

11. Deplazes P., Rinaldi L., Alvarez Rojas C.A., Torgerson P.R., Harandi M.F., Romig T., Antolova D., Schurer J.M., Lahmar S., Cringoli G., Magambo J., Thompson R.C., Jenkins E.J. Global distribution of alveolar and cystic echinococcosis. Adv. Parasitol. 2017; 95:315–493. DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2016.11.001.

12. Zhang T., Li B., Liu Y., Liu S. Risk factors associated with echinococcosis in the general Chinese population: а meta-analysis and systematic review. Front. Public Health. 2022; 10:821265. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.821265.

13. Paduraru A.A., Lupu M.A., Lighezan R., Pavel R., Cretu O.M., Olariu T.R. Seroprevalence of anti-Echinococcus granulosus antibodies and risk factors for infection in blood donors from Western Romania. Life (Basel). 2023; 13(4):871. DOI: 10.3390/life13040871.

14. Kakamad F.H., Anwar K.A., Ahmed H.K., Habibullah I.J., Kaka Ali H.H., Nasralla H.A., Abdullah H.O., Tahir S.H., Kareem H.O., Hasan A.H., Gharib D.T., Asaad H.R., Mohammed A.A., Abdalla B.A., Esmaeil D.A., Rashid R.J., Hamahussein K.F. Risk factors associated with human echinococcosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front. Vet. Sci. 2024; 11:1480579. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1480579.

15. Huang D., Li R., Qiu J., Sun X., Yuan R., Shi Y., Qu Y., Niu Y. Geographical environmental factors and risk mapping of human cystic echinococcosis in Western China. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2018; 15(8):1729. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15081729.

16. Torgerson P.R., Robertson L.J., Enemark H.L., Foehr J., van der Giessen J.W.B., Kapel C.M.O., Klun I., Trevisan C. Source attribution of human echinococcosis: a systematic review and meta- analysis. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 2020; 14(6):e0008382. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008382.

17. Conraths F.J., Probst C., Possenti A., Boufana B., Saulle R., La Torre G., Busani L., Casulli A. Potential risk factors associated with human alveolar echinococcosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 2017; 11(7):e0005801. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005801.

18. Raimkulov K.M., Toigombaeva V.S., Gumnov N., Kuttubaev O.T. [Improvement of the echinococcosis control system in Kyrgyz Republic]. Vestnik Bashkirskogo Gosudarstvennogo Meditsinskogo Universiteta [Bulletin of Bashkir State Medical University]. 2025; (S4):6–27.