Last update:
   30-May-2013
 

Arch Hellen Med, 30(2), March-April 2013, 225-228

CASE REPORT

Pulmonary echinococcosis presenting as a pulmonary mass with chest pain, fever and non-productive cough

G. Michas,1 E. Varytimiadi,1 A. Varytimiadi,2 E. Toli,1 E. Kyriakopoulos,3 M. Michail,3 E. Vryonis1,4,5
1Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Kalamata, Kalamata
2Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Attikon" University General Hospital, Athens
3Department of Radiology, General Hospital of Kalamata, Kalamata
4Infection Prevention and Control Committee, General Hospital of Kalamata, Kalamata
5North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK

Echinococcosis or hydatid disease is caused by the larvae of the tapeworm Echinococcus. As it occurs only rarely in young people who reside in urban areas and do not report contact with animals the case is reported here of a 16 year-old girl who presented with chest pain, fever, and non-productive cough, in whom the diagnosis of pulmonary cystic echinococcosis was made. The patient underwent surgery for excision of the mass and was discharged on oral albendazole treatment. The diagnosis of pulmonary cystic echinococcosis should always be included in the differential diagnosis of a young patient presenting with a lung mass, chest pain, non-productive cough, and fever

Key words: Chest pain, Cough, Echinococcosis, Fever, Lung mass.

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