1. Abu-Hasan, N., Daragmeh, M., Adwan, K., Al-Qaoud, K., and Abdel-Hafez, S.K. Human Cystic Echinococcosis in the West Bank of Palestine: Surgical Incidence and Seroepidemiological Study. Parasitology Research 2002; 88, 2: 107-112.

The Surgical incidence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) due to Echinococcus granulosus was investigated in hospitals of the west Bank, Palestinian Authority between January 1990 and  December 1997. Serum samples from school-children in Yatta town, which showed the highest surgical incidence, were tested for anti-hydatid antibodies. A total of 390 surgically confirmed cases were recorded throughout the 8-year period, within as overall mean annual surgical incidence (MASI) of 3.1 per 100,000. A high MASI of 4.9, 5.0, and 5.1 per 100,000 was found in Hebron, Jericho, and Bethlehem Governorates, respectively. Yatta town, Hebron governorate, showed the highest MASI, at 16.8 per 100,000. The highest incidence was found in age groups 11-20 and 21-30 years, at 27.4% and 21.5% of the total number of cases. While there was no significant gender difference in the number of cases in the age groups of 20 years or less, the male to female case ratio was 1:3.2-4.1 in the older age groups. The liver was the most common site of hydatid cysts in 69.9% of cases. Lung cysts were predominant in younger age groups (20 years or les).