Cystic hydatidosis: a rare case of spine localization

Cystic hydatidosis is a zoonosis endemic both to Sicily and other Mediterranean areas. Generally, Echinococcus granulosus tapeworms develop in the liver, lung and less frequently in the peritoneum, spleen or kidney. We present a rare case of spinal hydatid disease. The patient was a 38-year-old housewife with a vertebral echinococcosis revealed by acute paraplegia of the legs. Medical treatment with albendazole and surgical intervention improved the clinical symptoms. This case is emblematic both for the unusual localization and for the need of a multidisciplinary approach for diagnosing and monitoring suspected hydatid lesions. Patients with suspected abdominal or lung echinococcosis should also be investigated for other localizations such as the brain, spine and heart. Furthermore, in endemic areas hydatidosis must be suspected in the presence of lesions occupying space in these districts.