Pelvic Hydatid Cyst in a Female Patient-Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction: Echinococcosis has been a significant problem in Bulgaria for many years, and efforts to control it have been underway since the 1960s, employing various measures with variable success [1]. Case presentation:We present a 23-year-old asymptomatic patient.During a routine gynecological examination, pelvic ultrasound identified a nonspecific tumor-like mass of solid consistency.The patient was referred for pelvic MRI, which demonstrated a primary hydatid cyst (cystic echinococcosis).Discussion: The high prevalence of disease among children, adolescents, and young adults is indicative of ongoing transmission of the parasite and suggests that control measures directed at the source of infection remain inadequate.Studies from other countries likewise identify children and adolescents as the most heavily affected population group.In Bulgaria the peak incidence has been reported in individuals aged 10-19 years, while in Romania it occurs between 11 and 14 years.Children who have not acquired appropriate hygiene practices are more frequently infected through direct contact with infected dogs (e.g., petting or hugging).Indirect transmission occurs via ingestion of food or water contaminated with parasite eggs.The liver is the most common site of cyst localization, followed by the lungs.Involvement of the pelvic peritoneum is an atypical presentation and poses a diagnostic challenge.Between 2010 and 2019, 2,863 cases of human cystic echinococcosis were registered in Bulgaria, of which only three had a primary pelvic localization [2,3].Imaging methods ultrasound, radiography, computerized tomography scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)] were used in patient.The diagnosis was confirmed by serological and histological methods.Conclusion: Surgical management is the standard treatment.The pelvic location of cysts and involvement of the pelvic peritoneum, particularly in young females, may pose a risk to future reproductive potential.Surgical management should be as conservative as possible and avoid injury to the pelvic reproductive organs.For this reason, we emphasize the need to strengthen the National Echinococcosis Control Program to achieve a sustained reduction in incidence of Echinococcosis.