1020 Scholars Academic Journal of Biosciences (SAJB) ISSN 2321-6883 (Online) Sch. Acad. J. Biosci., 2015; 3(12):1020-1025 ISSN 2347-9515 (Print) ©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publisher (An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources) www.saspublisher.com Research Article A study of the frequency of medical and surgical treatment of hydatid cyst in the patients of Arak city, Iran Naser Nazari 1* , Sara Beheshti 2 , Masoud Sadeghi 2 1 Deparment of Parasitology and Mycology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran 2 Students Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran *Corresponding author Naser Nazari Abstract: Hydatidosis is one of the most important parasitic diseases worldwide, and it is caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. This disease is endemic in Iran and can cause large losses of life and property. A few studies have been done in this area in Arak city, Iran. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of medical and surgical treatment of patients with hydatid cyst in hospitals of Arak city to promote the management of patients. This study is a descriptive study in which the cases are examined and the characteristics of patients with hydatid cyst and their relevant treatment method in Vali ASR and Amir al-Moemenin Hospitals between 2009-2013 have been evaluated. Of 70 patients, 41 (58.6%) were women and 29 (41.1%) were men and the highest incidence was in the third decade of age (20%). Most patients belonged to the rural population (54.3%). The organs with highest involvement were liver (62.9%) and lung (27.1%) respectively, and the involvement of other organs was (7.14%). The average size of the cysts was 33±85 mm. 64 patients (91.42%) received combined treatment, and 6 patients (8.57%) only received medical treatment. The highest and most effective treatment of choice in the patients with hydatid cyst is the combined surgery and pharmaceutical procedure, and medication therapy before and after surgery, reduces relapses. Keywords: Hydatidosis, Echinococcus granulosus, Pharmaceutical and surgical procedure INTRODUCTION Hydatid cyst is an infectious disease shared between humans and animals that is spreading around the world and is it has been familiar to man since ancient times, so that Hippocrates also referred to it [1]. The disease is caused by infestation of humans and animals with the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Humans become infested by swallowing the eggs of E. granulosus. Dogs and sheep are definitive and intermediate host of this parasite, respectively. However, man becomes involved by having infested vegetables and food. The higher risk of this disease is due to the fact that it can involve critical and sensitive members of body such as liver and lung, etc. [2]. The most commonly affected organ is the liver, and lungs, central nervous system, eyes, etc. may also be involved as well. This disease is more prevalent in the areas with much presence of animals such as sheep and canines like Iran, Turkey, Mediterranean Countries, Middle East, South America, New Zealand and Australia [3]. The disease is usually asymptomatic and clinical manifestations are different depending on the location of the cyst. The incidence of hydatid cyst in endemic areas of the world has been reported 10 per hundred thousand people [4]. In Iran, the highest and lowest geographical spread of the disease is in Khorasan and Hormozgan provinces, respectively. However, statistics and studies in recent decades indicate that the highest prevalence of the disease is fields near mountainous areas and its geographical distribution perfectly matches the side-mountainous climate zones of the country [5]. This disease does not have belongs to a certain age and affects all age groups. Contamination rate in both sexes has been reported equally. Hydatid cyst may appear anywhere on the body but it involves liver in 70% of cases and in 15 to 20% of cases involves the lungs [6]. Many cases are asymptomatic. When the cyst appears in the liver, symptoms are mainly abdominal pain and sensitivity, the mass presence in the abdomen or large diffusion in liver. And when the cyst is in the lungs, it appears mainly as cough, shortness of breath, transient chest pain or hemoptysis [6]. Nowadays, the treatment of single hydatid cyst is surgery, but some patients with multiple lesions in various organs or due to certain physical conditions cannot be a candidate for surgery. On the other hand, the results are not always successful surgery and in some cases it has been with secondary diffusions or local recurrence. In these cases, drug therapies are used