Clinical Pattern of Pediatric Hydatid Disease.

CONTEXT: Literature regarding hydatid disease in children is sparse.

AIMS: To highlight the peculiarities in the clinical pattern of pediatric hydatid disease (PHD).

SETTINGS AND DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from all children aged <18 years who presented to our tertiary care institute from July 2021 to June 2023 with hydatid disease involving any organ.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Simple statistical analysis involving sums, means, averages, and percentages.

RESULTS: Four of the 10 cases (40%) involved the lung, while only 2 (20%) involved the liver. There were five females and four males with an age range of 2-17 years. Four of the cases had primary extrahepatic extrapulmonary hydatid disease (40%), two involving the pancreas, one in the rectouterine pouch, and one intracranial.

CONCLUSIONS: The clinical pattern of PHD is different from that of adults. Pulmonary echinococcosis is more common than hepatic involvement. Primary extrahepatic extrapulmonary hydatid disease is also more common in children than previously thought. A cystic lesion anywhere in a child warrants a differential of hydatid disease.