Research Information System
Maltepe Medical Journal, vol.15, no.3, pp.105-109, 2023 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Echinococcosis is a parasitic disease caused by cestodes of
the genus Echinococcus, which often affects the liver and lungs.
Pulmonary hydatid cysts are often transmitted in childhood and
remain asymptomatic for a long time. As a result, the diagnosis is
often incidental in noncomplicated cases. In some cases hydatid
cysts may rupture and in this occurrence it is then called a
complicated cyst. When a complicated pulmonary hydatid cyst
occurs, various symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath,
cough, and hemoptysis may be observed. For diagnosis radiologic
methods and serologic tests may be used. The most commonly
used radiological method for pulmonary hydatid cysts is chest
radiography. Echinococcosis can be treated pharmacologically
with medications under certain situations; nonetheless, surgical
treatment is the gold standard. Pharmacological treatment
includes benzimidazole group drugs such as albendazole and in
surgical treatment, various techniques such as enucleation,
pericystectomy, capitonated cystotomy are applied.