Rare multisystem hydatid cyst in an immunocompetent child: clinical insight from a case report study

Abstract Hydatid disease is a parasitic infection caused by Echinococcus granulosus and remains an important health problem in endemic regions. Although the liver and lungs are the most frequently affected organs in children, multisystem involvement is relatively rare, especially in immunocompetent individuals. Here we present a case with multisystem hydatid disease, A 30-month-old immunocompetent female presented with intermittent high-grade fever and productive cough for one month. Chest radiograph revealed a thick-walled cystic lesion in the right upper lung zone. Subsequent imaging demonstrated additional cystic lesions in the liver and spleen, consistent with disseminated hydatid disease. The patient underwent partial splenectomy and hepatic cyst enucleation, followed by right upper lobectomy as the cyst had severely destroyed the infected lung tissue. In this case, we aimed to present the clinical symptoms, radiological findings, and type of surgery performed in a child with multisystem hydatid cyst. This case highlights the occurrence of multiple organ hydatid disease in an immunocompetent child. Multisystem involvement, although rare, should be considered in endemic regions, and prompt diagnosis with appropriate multidisciplinary management is essential for favorable outcomes.