en Health Health Original Research Original Research In order to assess the prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus (EO) infection (hydatidosis) in nomadic tribes of southern Iran, 1000 individuals from a total population of 1 12,519 were selected by randomized single blind cluster sampling method and studied from 1994- 1995. The study included: ( l ) a physical examination by a gastroenterologist, (2) abdominal ultrasonography (US), and (3) detection of anti-EO-antibodies (EOA) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE). The statistically significant prevalences were: US: 1.8%, eIE: 6.8%, and ELISA, 13.7%. The rate of infection varied with age, sex, education, occupation, life style, geographical location of tribal subgroups and the frequency of contact with dogs and cattle. The power of agreement between a combination of each two methods were significant as determined by kappa statistics method. The results obtained indicated that a combination of ELISA and CIE was the most reliable method with a high sensitivity and specificity. Echinococcus granulosus, echinococcosis, hydatidosis, nomadic and migrant tribes. 113 118 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-298-466&slc_lang=en&sid=1 M SABERI-FIROUZI 20031947532846004821 20031947532846004821 Yes From the Schools of Medicine Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran F KAFFASHIAN 20031947532846004822 20031947532846004822 No Paramedical Sciences Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran E HAYATI 20031947532846004823 20031947532846004823 No Paramedical Sciences Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran AA GHADERI 20031947532846004824 20031947532846004824 No Paramedical Sciences Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran H KESHAVARZ 20031947532846004825 20031947532846004825 No Public Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran S ARSHADI 20031947532846004826 20031947532846004826 No From the Schools of Medicine Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran C ARSHADI 20031947532846004827 20031947532846004827 No From the Schools of Medicine Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran MSE SOTUDEHMARAM 20031947532846004828 20031947532846004828 No From the Schools of Medicine Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran MS MASSARRAT 20031947532846004829 20031947532846004829 No Philips University, Marburg, Germany. MA GHALAMBOR 20031947532846004830 20031947532846004830 No Paramedical Sciences Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran