Lema Alemayehu Shiferaw, Habtewold Tesfaye Kidane, Degefu Beza Tasew, Sekar Suresh Kumar Rajamani, Wendimagegn Selamawit Tadesse
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, St. Paul's Hospital, Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Department of Pathology, St. Paul's Hospital, Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
IDCases. 2025 Aug 6;41:e02339. doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2025.e02339. eCollection 2025.
Echinococcosis, commonly referred to as hydatid disease, is a prevalent condition in regions where sheep and cattle farming flourishes, representing a significant public health challenge in endemic areas. As one of the most neglected tropical diseases worldwide, this zoonotic infection caused by Echinococcus tapeworms often forms cysts in the liver and lungs. Cardiac involvement, a rare condition, can be insidious with vague symptoms or even remain asymptomatic until acute complications or fatal outcomes arise. The occurrence of silent, solitary cardiac hydatid cysts is exceptionally uncommon. This case report presents a rare and potentially life-threatening situation in which a substantial hydatid cyst nestled within the right ventricle of a healthy adult's heart culminating swiftly in sudden death. Postmortem findings revealed an outward bulge in the right ventricle, housing a fluid-filled cystic cavity. Histological evaluation confirmed the presence of a hydatid cyst, and death was attributed to cardiac arrhythmias. This case highlights the ubiquitous potential of hydatid cysts to manifest at various bodily sites, accentuating their silent but life-threatening nature. Sudden death, a recurrent feature of this disease in endemic settings, emphasizes the importance of timely diagnosis and intervention to avoid fatal repercussions. Increased awareness of this infrequent presentation among healthcare providers, particularly in endemic regions, can help save lives by fostering early recognition and prompt management.
棘球蚴病，通常称为包虫病，在牛羊养殖繁荣的地区是一种普遍存在的疾病，是流行地区的一项重大公共卫生挑战。作为全球最被忽视的热带疾病之一，这种由棘球绦虫引起的人畜共患感染通常在肝脏和肺部形成囊肿。心脏受累是一种罕见情况，可能隐匿，症状模糊，甚至在出现急性并发症或致命后果之前一直无症状。无声、孤立的心脏包虫囊肿的发生极为罕见。本病例报告呈现了一种罕见且可能危及生命的情况，即一个巨大的包虫囊肿位于一名健康成年人心脏的右心室内，迅速导致猝死。尸检结果显示右心室向外膨出，有一个充满液体的囊腔。组织学评估证实存在包虫囊肿，死亡归因于心律失常。本病例突出了包虫囊肿在身体各个部位出现的潜在可能性，强调了它们无声但危及生命的性质。猝死是这种疾病在流行地区的一个反复出现的特征，强调了及时诊断和干预以避免致命后果的重要性。提高医疗保健提供者，特别是在流行地区的医疗保健提供者对这种罕见表现的认识，有助于通过促进早期识别和及时管理来挽救生命。
