Echinococcosis

Abstract

The word Echinococcus originates from Greek and means “hedgehog berry,” a term descriptive of the gross pathology of the lesion. Echinococcosis is caused by the larval stage of tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus. A fluid-containing cyst called hydatid cyst is a characteristic lesion found in the internal organs of affected individuals, hence the name “hydatid disease” (hydatid means “a drop of water” in Greek).