A very rare case of echinococcus granulosus arising in the ovary and the uterus

Abstract

Hydatidosis is a zoonosis caused by the larval form of a cestode of the species Echinococcus granulosus, the canine tapeworm. It can affect any organ of the human body except nails, hair, and cornea. It most often involves the liver, lungs, muscles, and bones. Involvement of organs in the small pelvis is extremely rare, mainly secondary to dissemination of hydatidosis from another organ, and the ovaries are most often involved, followed by the uterus. We present a 41-year-old Caucasian woman with complaints of mild pain, heaviness in the small pelvis, and a fibroid detected by ultrasound examination. She had reported for 2 previous operations for echinococcus cysts, and we found cystic formations in the liver and pelvis by computed tomography. It was decided that it is a recurrence of echinococcosis with a new cyst both in ovary and uterus. A hysterectomy with adnexectomy was performed, and one year later there is no evidence of recurrence of echinococcosis. In the presence of a formation in the small pelvis, one should always think about echinococcosis, especially if there is evidence of previous manifestations of the disease. Diagnosing this disease is extremely important for proper treatment. As rare as uterine involvement is, this possibility should not be overlooked.

Keywords

• echinococcus granulosus
• ovary
• uterus
• recurrence