Echinococcosis multilocularis in Turkey.

We present 20 new cases of Echinococcosis multilocularis (EM) and have also reviewed all 137 previously reported cases from Turkey. The total number of cases is now 157 up until the end of 1983. Of 146 cases with information on their place of occurrence, 133 (91%) were from eastern and central parts of Turkey or the region of the Black Sea where the cold climate is predominant. This area should be considered as part of the geographic distribution of Echinococcus multilocularis which extends from the Caucasian Republics (Azerbaijan and Georgian S.S.R.) to Siberia in the Soviet Union. EM is more frequent among the people involved in raising livestock in the rural areas of Turkey. Most of the cases (76%) were between the ages of 30 and 50; 53% were males. One hundred and thirty nine cases (92%) were liver infections, and most of the cases (60%) were clinically diagnosed as liver tumour.