Primary Hydatid Cyst of Spleen: A rare entity

Primary hydatid disease of the spleen is very rare, even though spleen is the third most common organ involved in hydatid disease. Hydatid disease, a zoonosis, occurs worldwide but it is endemic in farming and cattle rearing areas. Most common sites of involvement by hydatid disease are liver followed by lung. Other rare sites include heart, pancreas, muscles and brain. The rarity of splenic hydatid disease poses a diagnostic challenge for clinicians especially in non endemic areas. We report a case of histologically confirmed primary hydatid cyst of spleen in a 23 years old female. This case report emphasises that hydatid disease should be considered in the differential diagnoses of all cystic masses in the spleen/ abdomen.

Hydatidosis, Spleen, Echinococcus