Trends and Regional Disparities in the Treatment of Echinococcosis in Kazakhstan: A Nationwide Retrospective Study (2017–2024)

Background: Echinococcosis, caused by the Echinococcus granulosus, primarily affects the liver and lungs and remains an important public health problem in endemic regions. Surgical treatment remains the main therapeutic approach. Objectives: We aimed to analyze nationwide trends and regional disparities in the treatment and surgical management of echinococcosis in Kazakhstan and to identify factors associated with emergency surgical care. Methods: A retrospective analysis of national healthcare records of treated echinococcosis cases in Kazakhstan from 2017 to 2024 was conducted. The dataset included information on age distribution, hospitalization characteristics, surgical interventions (elective and emergency), and regional patterns. Organ-specific stratification was available in the national database. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were performed to evaluate temporal and regional differences. Results: Between 2017 and 2024, the number of treated echinococcosis cases demonstrated a decreasing trend. Significant regional differences in surgical management were identified, with southern regions, particularly Turkistan, showing a higher proportion of emergency surgical interventions (p < 0.05). Forecasting analysis suggested a further decline in treated case numbers; however, widening 95% confidence intervals and the appearance of negative projected values in later years indicated substantial uncertainty and limitations of the predictive model. Conclusions: The decline in treated echinococcosis cases may reflect improvements in disease control, but may also be associated with underdiagnosis or reduced access to healthcare services. Marked regional disparities in emergency surgical care highlight the need to strengthen surveillance systems and improve equitable access to timely diagnosis and treatment.