[Descriptive Epidemiology of Extrapulmonary Hydatid Cysts: a Report of 265 Tunisian Cases]

Background: Hydatidosis is a parasitic endemic disease in Tunisia. The liver and lung are the most common sites of involvement; however, it can develop anywhere in the body.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to analyse the epidemiological features of extrapulmonary hydatid cysts and compare our results with those reported in literature.

Methods: A retrospective study of 265 extrapulmonary hydatid cysts collected over the 18-year period from 1990 to 2007 was undertaken.

Results: There were 101 male and 164 female patients (sex ratio M/F = 0.61) ranging in age from 2 to 84 years (mean age = 38.7). In our series, hydatid cysts involved mainly the kidney (24.1%), the central nervous system (22.6%), the liver (19.6%) and the spleen (11.3%). The other less frequent sites included the peritoneum (n = 9), heart (n = 9), bone (n = 6), adrenal gland (n = 4), epiploon (n = 4), orbit (n = 4), ovary (n = 3), prostate (n = 2), bladder (n = 2), breast (n = 2), Douglas' cul-de-sac (n = 2), diaphragm (n = 1), testis (n = 1), broad ligament (n = 1), mediastinum (n = 1), nasal cavity (n = 1), soft tissue (n = 1), abdominal wall (n = 1), parotid gland (n = 1), psoas muscle (n = 1), synovia (n = 1), thymus (n = 1) et le pancreas (n = 1).

Conclusion: In contrast to literature, our results show that hydatid cysts of the kidney and of the central nervous system are more frequent than hepatic location which occupies the 3rd rank.