Re: Acute Intraperitoneal Rupture of Hydatid Cysts

Excerpt

Echinococcosis in humans is a parasitic tapeworm infection caused by a larval stage (the metacestode) of Echinococcus species. The infection can be asymptomatic or severe, causing extensive organ damage and even death of the patient. The metacestodes of all four recognized Echinococcus species can infect humans. Cystic echinococcus, or hydatid cystic disease, is one of three known types of echinococcal infections in humans. The most common sites for hydatid cysts are the liver and lungs, although hydatid cysts have been reported at other sites, including kidney, bones, brain, and pericardium. Hydatid cystic infection exists throughout the world1 and is a major public health and economic problem in endemic regions such as China, Western and Central Asia, and the Middle East.1,2 …