Hydatid disease

Even though it can potentially affect a number of organs, bones or muscles, hydatid disease most commonly affects the lungs and liver. It may take a lot of time before symptoms actually start showing up. These symptoms also vary depending upon which organ has been affected. The most common symptoms include:

• Cough
• Chest pain 
• Shortness of breath 
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Formation of cysts in liver

Hydatid disease is not transmitted from person to person, or from eating the meat of an infected animal. It occurs when a person swallows echinococcus eggs. This may occur by petting a dog and then touching your mouth (without washing hands), by kissing a dog, through contact with contaminated soil or by consuming food or water contaminated with the faeces of the infected animal. (Read more: Food poisoning)

After infestation, the incubation period may last a few months. This implies that it could take a few months before symptoms appear. Certain strains may even have an incubation period that lasts a year.

Several steps can be taken to prevent hydatid disease. These include:

• Washing your hands, especially after petting a dog
• Discouraging your dogs from licking people 
• Proper disposal of animal faeces
• Properly washing fruits and vegetables before consumption
• Not consuming undercooked meat

Early detection can help to select the right treatment option. The doctor diagnoses the condition by first asking you about your symptoms and then conducting physical examinations. He or she may order the following tests, too:

• Ultrasonography is an imaging technique that can be used to confirm or rule out both alveolar (lung) and cystic (liver) echinococcus
• MRI and CT scan may be done to validate the findings of the ultrasonography 
• Radiography can also be used to detect cysts
• A chest X-Ray may be done to rule out other infections

Depending on the prognosis, the course of treatment is decided. Sometimes people don’t require treatment at all, apart from being monitored for over the span of a few years. The treatment could include:

• Medication: Medication can be prescribed so as to destroy the parasite. The most common drugs given by doctors in case of echinococcosis include albendazole and mebendazole.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs: There may also be some inflammation due to the parasite, for which the doctor is likely to prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs. In case of the presence of cysts, chemotherapy medication may also be used.
• Surgery: In the case of hydatid disease, surgery is often recommended. It is the most effective way to deal with the cysts and may even lead to a complete cure. The surgery can be complex, depending upon the size and location of the cysts.

Hydatid disease is a serious but treatable condition that is caused by the parasite echinococcus. Anyone can get this disease but you are more susceptible if you are involved in handling cattle or animals, in which case washing your hands and maintaining proper hygiene becomes all the more important.

Hydatid disease may be fatal in a small number of cases. Your outlook ultimately depends upon the organs affected and the extent of the disease. It is important to get cysts treated correctly and on time because the rupturing of cysts could be a life-threatening complication.