Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Transient Transduction of the Strobilated Forms of Echinococcus granulosus
13:25

Transient Transduction of the Strobilated Forms of Echinococcus granulosus

Published on: September 16, 2022

Multiorgan involvement in a pediatric patient with hydatid disease

D Olmez1, A Babayigit, H Arslan

  • 1Department of Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. duyguolmez@hotmail.com

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
|July 3, 2008
PubMed

Insights

This report details a rare pediatric case of hydatid disease affecting the spleen, lungs, kidneys, and liver simultaneously. Such extensive multi-organ involvement in a child is unprecedented in medical literature.

Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Human echinococcosis (hydatid disease) poses a significant public health challenge in endemic areas.
  • Echinococcus infections typically manifest with parasitic cysts in various organs.

Observation:

  • A 5-year-old boy presented with a rare manifestation of hydatid disease.
  • The patient exhibited simultaneous involvement of multiple organs: spleen, lungs, kidneys, and liver.

Findings:

  • This case represents the first documented pediatric instance of hydatid disease with concurrent spleen, kidney, liver, and lung involvement.
  • The simultaneous occurrence across these four organs in a pediatric patient is highly unusual.

Implications:

  • Highlights the potential for extensive multi-organ compromise in pediatric echinococcosis.
  • Underscores the importance of considering hydatid disease in the differential diagnosis of pediatric patients with unexplained multi-organ pathology.
  • Suggests a need for further research into risk factors and clinical presentations of severe pediatric echinococcosis.

Related Concept Videos

Amebiasis01:28

Amebiasis

Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
Toxoplasmosis01:28

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Esophageal Varices-II: Clinical Features and Management01:28

Esophageal Varices-II: Clinical Features and Management

Esophageal varices often manifest as gastrointestinal bleeding episodes, presenting symptoms like hematemesis (vomiting of blood), hematochezia (passing fresh blood via the rectum), and melena (black, tarry stools). Other signs can include weight loss, anorexia, abdominal discomfort, jaundice, pruritus, altered mental status, and muscle cramps.
In the initial assessment, a thorough review of the patient's medical history is vital to identify risk factors such as liver disease, alcohol abuse, or...