Hydatid Cyst in Children at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital: A Five Years Study

Introduction: Hydatid disease is one of the important health problems in developing countries. It is a parasitic disease that can affect any part in the human body, but it commonly affects lungs and liver. Because of poor data and preventive measures in sub-Saharan Africa, cystic echinococcosis (CE) is regarded as endemic disease. Aim: To assess the behaviour of the Hydatid Cysts and the organs commonly affected in children in our rural population. Method: This is retrospective longitudinal analysis of children between the ages of 3 to 12 years that were admitted in paediatric surgical unit at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital (NMAH) in Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study was conducted on patients admitted between April 2015 and April 2020. The aim of the study was to assess which age group, sex and organs commonly affected by the hydatidosis in our children. Results: We studied 50 children; the group of age most affected was 3 to 12 years. The females accounted for 58%, and 42% males. In our patients, 38% had hydatid lung cysts, 46% liver cysts only, 6% had both liver and lung hydatid cysts, 4% had liver, lung and spleen, another 4% mesenteric cyst and 2% hamstring muscle hydatid cyst. In 40 (80%) cases, the treatment was surgical: puncture-aspiration-injection and reaspiration (PAIR) removing the endo-cyst layer, followed by medical treatment with Albendazole and Praziquantel, only 10 (20%) cases required medical treatment alone. On the operated cases the endo cyst was taken for histopathology. Conclusion: Females were most affected than males and the liver was the organ most affected with 38%, followed by lung.