HYDATID CYST OF BRAIN

Abstract

Echinococosis (which is often referred as hydatid disease) is an infection caused by larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus complex, E multiocularis or E vogeli. When it lodges in the brain, a solitary cyst (hydatid cyst) develops. Hydatid cyst of the brain is a slow growing mass that does not invade the brain. Surgical removal of the intact and unruptured cyst is advised in all cases for preventing local recurrence that may require further surgery and long term treatment with parasiticidal agents. We report a five years old male child who presented with headache, difficulty in walking with ataxic gait and unable to maintain posture and tremors in hand. MRI showed a giant hydatid cyst which was removed by a neurosurgeon and patient was successfully discharged.

Keywords

• hydatid cyst, echinococcosis, echinococcus granulosus
• echinococcus multilocularis
• brain.