Abdominal Hydatidosis: Surgical Perspectives

Abstract

Hydatid disease or Echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease (Krabbe and Finsen 1862) caused by the larva of Echinococcus species and is one of the oldest known parasitic diseases to man. The disease has a worldwide distribution and is also well recognised and documented in the Indian subcontinent. The disease is caused by the larval stage of Echinococcosis. Humans are accidental intermediate/dead-end hosts whereas animals can be both intermediate and definitive hosts. The two main types of hydatid diseases are caused by E.granulosus and E.multilocularis, former being the most common type in humans and liver is the most commonly affected organ ^[1]. The other types include E.vogeli, E.oligarthus, E.shiquicus, E.ortleppi and E.equinus. In humans, 50-75% of the cysts occur in liver, 25% in lungs and 5-10% distribute along the arterial system ^[2] JMS 2018;21(1):1-2