Pulmonary Cystic Echinococcosis in Belgium

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus. We report a case of a 28-year-old Belgian woman who presented with debilitating inspiratory dorsal pain and coughing. Imaging revealed a large cystic structure in the right lower pulmonary lobe. Following surgical resection, histopathological examination and molecular testing of the cyst confirmed infection with E. granulosus G1 genotype (sheep strain). The patient had no travel history outside of Europe but had professional exposure to dogs as a groomer and had adopted a dog from Morocco. Postoperative treatment with albendazole was administered for three months with a favorable clinical outcome, and to this day, there is no evidence of recurrence. This case highlights the importance of considering CE in the differential diagnosis of cystic lung lesions, even in non-endemic regions like Belgium.