A Pulmonary Hydatid Cyst with Left Lung Involvement: A Case Report

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is an important zoonotic disease between humans and mammalians that causes remarkable economic loss and public health problem in different regions of the world.

We present the case of a 43-year-old male patient living in Nehbandan city, Iran. He referred to the Nehbandan Hospital with sudden dyspnea. Two days before admission, he had suddenly suffered from the shortness of breath and had admitted to the Nehbandan Hospital to receive penicillin, but was discharged. The next morning, due to the exacerbation of the shortness of breath, he returned to the hospital. Pleural effusion in the left lung was observed in radiography. The patient was transferred to Valiasr Hospital in Birjand city for CT scanning. The anti-Echinococcus specific total IgG antibody was positive.

Hydatid disease should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses in every patient with respiratory symptoms and in those who are living in endemic areas. The early identification of the cyst and its surgical removal will improve the patient’s symptoms. In the present case, following the definitive diagnosis, a surgery was done while treatment with albendazole had started one week before surgery that continued after discharge from the hospital.