Abstract:

To better understand the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary echinococcosis recently diagnosed in a child with 6 years old in Xinyu, Jiangxi Province, the related clinical manifestations and examinations (imaging, pathological, immunological results) and epidemiological data were collected and analyzed. Data analysis showed that the clinical diagnosis of the child was pulmonary cyst with parasitic infection. The serological test showed the antibody IgG positive to Cysticercus cellulosae antigen and Echinococcus antigen. The pathological biopsy identified Echinococcus granulosus parasite in the lung tissue. After removal of the pulmonary cyst by surgery, the child was treated with 0.2 g albendazole tablet twice a day for 3 consecutive months. The child was totally recovered with no relapse. The epidemiological investigation showed that the child had no history traveling to any endemic area of hydatid disease or exposing to any people or objects from endemic areas. Further investigation on 204 local residents living with the child identified no any sign of hydatid disease by abdominal ultrasonography. However, the serological test demonstrated that the positive rate of anti-Echinococcus antibody was 4.04% (8/198). The questionnaire survey showed that most of the children with low age usually had close contact with the dogs around. Fecal samples were collected from 9 dogs in the village and none of them had been detected with Echinococcus antigen. Based on the clinical and epidemiological data the child was diagnosed as a local infection of E. granulosus, suggesting the possibility of local transmission of local hydatid disease in this village.

Key words: Pulmonary cystic echinococcosis, Children, Non-endemic areas, Cyst