Cystic echinococcosis represents an emerging illness found in humans and livestock that arises as a result of eating infective eggs of the cestode parasite Echinococcus granulosus – a small tapeworm of carnivorous animals. Also known as hydatid disease, this condition remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

The ingestion of Echinococcus eggs results in the release of an early-stage larva (also known as the oncosphere) into the intestinal tract, with subsequent migration via blood or lymph to primary target organs such as liver or lungs. At those locations the oncosphere can mature into a vesicle which can grow by concentric enlargement, resulting in a fully mature hydatid cyst.

Cystic echinococcosis is not only responsible for severe disease and possible fatal outcomes, but also leads to high economic burden due to treatment costs, livestock losses and lost wages. In the recent years noteworthy technological improvements have been made in …show more content…
Approximately 70-80% of cysts are found in the liver, 10-20% in the lungs and only 5% in other sites in the human body (such as bones, spleen, central nervous system or eyes).

Hydatid cysts can remain asymptomatic for life, especially if they stay small. If symptoms develop, they are most often associated with pressure effects of the cyst on surrounding tissues or organs. Non-specific signs that can appear include weight loss, anorexia and weakness.

Nevertheless, traumatic rupture of the hydatid cyst is a serious manifestation that may lead to fatal anaphylaxis (i.e. a severe and extreme allergic reaction). Other potential cyst complications include fistulas leading to bronchial or biliary obstruction, embolism of cyst content and bacterial