Cystic Eechinococcosis in Childhood: Five-Years of Experience From a Single-Center.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical data and prognosis of cystic echinococcosis during a 5-year period who were followed by the pediatric clinics.

Methods: Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and prognosis data of 34 patients with cystic echinococcosis obtained between 2009 to 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. Of these, 10 patients were excluded because of incomplete data or failure to follow up.

Results: A total of 24 (12 males and 12 females) children were included the study. The mean ages of patients were 11.17 ± 3.71 (range, 5-17) years. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain (41.7%), cough (16.7%), and fatigue (12.5%). Localization of the parasite in the patients was determined to be as follows: liver (54.2%), lung (33.3%), and intraabdominal (4.2%). Multiorgan involvement was observed in 8.3% of the cases. Indirect hemagglutination test was positive in 13 (54.2%) patients at admission. All patients received treatment with albendazole. Seven patients were treated with puncture-aspiration-injection-re-aspiration (PAIR) (29.2%). Open surgery was performed in six patients (24.2%). One patient was treated with both PAIR and open surgery.

Conclusions: Cystic echinococcosis is a serious public health problem in developing countries. Hydatid cyst should be considered in the presence of suspicious radiological and clinical findings in endemic areas.