A descriptive study of hydatidosis, a still very prevalent zoonosis in Chile, was carried out with information up to 1993. Both human and animal data were included, the last one based on more reliable information. Regional human distribution up to 1991 shows persistent high notification rates in the extreme south of the country, Aysen and Magallanes hospital discharges, more reliable than notified cases, adds the IX Region of Araucania to the high risk areas, join with more than 30 hospitalizations per 100,000 people in 1989. Mortality case rate suggests strongly a very high subnotification in all the regions, mainly in O'Higgins. This zoonosis affects predominantly, young and middle aged adults, with a similar sex distribution. Cattle infection has decreased in the last 20 years, particularly in sheep. Proportion of infected dogs also tends to show a lowering trend in specific studies. It appears a strong need of a national program for controlling this zoonosis, to be initiated with an epidemiological evaluation by regions and centered in health education, dogs' infection control with treatment and better handling of slaughterhouses.