Evaluation of hydatid cyst manifestations in patients admitted to Shaheed Modarres Hospital, 1984-2004

Background: Hydatid cyst is one of the most important and dangerous human and herbivore animal helminthic disease. Infection is quite prevalent in Iran, however, patients’ features and manifestations have not been clarified thoroughly,thus, in the present study we evaluated Iranian patients with hydatid cyst referred to a tertiary hospital in Tehran during a 20-year period. Materials and methods: For this descriptive study, initial data including age, sex, clinical symptoms, cyst type, the place of cyst replacement, diagnostic technique, laboratory findings, treatment modalities and relapse were obtained from patients medical files. Results: Totally, 60 patients aged 4-70 years were entered, of whom 32(53.3%) were females and 28(46.7%) were males. House-wives (75%) and farmer men (42.8%) were more commonly affected. In 80% of the cases cyst was found in liver (lonely or with other organ involvement). Echinococcous Granulosus was detected in all patients. RUQ pain and cough and sputum were the most common symptoms of liver and lung cysts, respectively. Totally, 20% of patients referred with relapses, most of whom were multivesicular. Conclusion: Our results revealed that hydatid cyst in Iran is more or less the same as other western societies, however, a high rate of relapse in multivesicular cysts was noted.