[Descriptive epidemiology of extrapulmonary hydatid cysts: a report of 265 Tunisian cases].
BACKGROUND
Hydatidosis is a parasitic endemic disease in Tunisia. The liver and lung are the most common sites of involvement; however, it can develop anywhere in the body.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to analyse the epidemiological features of extrapulmonary hydatid cysts and compare our results with those reported in literature.


METHODS
A retrospective study of 265 extrapulmonary hydatid cysts collected over the 18-year period from 1990 to 2007 was undertaken.


RESULTS
There were 101 male and 164 female patients (sex ratio M/F = 0.61) ranging in age from 2 to 84 years (mean age = 38.7). In our series, hydatid cysts involved mainly the kidney (24.1%), the central nervous system (22.6%), the liver (19.6%) and the spleen (11.3%). The other less frequent sites included the peritoneum (n = 9), heart (n = 9), bone (n = 6), adrenal gland (n = 4), epiploon (n = 4), orbit (n = 4), ovary (n = 3), prostate (n = 2), bladder (n = 2), breast (n = 2), Douglas' cul-de-sac (n = 2), diaphragm (n = 1), testis (n = 1), broad ligament (n = 1), mediastinum (n = 1), nasal cavity (n = 1), soft tissue (n = 1), abdominal wall (n = 1), parotid gland (n = 1), psoas muscle (n = 1), synovia (n = 1), thymus (n = 1) et le pancreas (n = 1).


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to literature, our results show that hydatid cysts of the kidney and of the central nervous system are more frequent than hepatic location which occupies the 3rd rank.
Bellil
Salma
S
Service d'anatomie pathologique, Hôpital La Rabta, Tunis.
Limaiem
Faten
F
Bellil
Khadija
K
Chelly
Ines
I
Mekni
Amina
A
Haouet
Slim
S
Kchir
Nidhameddine
N
Zitouna
Moncef
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020807:Central Nervous System Parasitic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D052801:Male Urogenital Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology