Hydatid cyst in children: A 10-year experience from Iran

Abstract

Background: Hydatid disease is one of the major world-wide health  problems especially in endemic countries. Due to lack of statistics about this disease, various aspects of hydatidosis in children in North-West of Iran have been studied in this study.

Materials and Methods: We studied 59 children with hydatidosis referring Tabriz Children Hospital, Tabriz, Iran from 2001 up to 2011. We surveyed chief complaint of patients, number, size and location of cysts in children and also we studied cysts as if they are infected or ruptured or not.

Results: Average age of 59 patients (32 [54.2%] males and 27 [45.8%] females) was 7.93 ± 3.0. The most common chief complaints were cough and pain. Number of cysts was higher in females (2.00 ± 2.8 vs. 1.52 ±  1.0). The most common locations of cysts are lung and liver (52 patients); however, other organs had been also affected.

Conclusions: Lung hydatidosis is more common than hepatic hydatidosis
in children than adults and it is more frequent in males. Hydatid disease should be considered in differential diagnoses of liver and lung cystic lesions in children.

Key words: Echinococcus granulosus, hydatid cyst, liver, lung mass