A rare cause of jaundice in a case: Hydatid cyst infestation

Abstract

Although the most common cause of obstructive jaundice is viral infections, there are some rare disorders which can cause this picture. We present a 15-year-old girl, admitted with an obstructive jaundice. Her laboratory tests including viral infections were normal. The diagnosis of hydatid cyst was performed with both ultrasonography and indirect hemagglutination assay. The patient was operated on and hydatid cyst was seen to be ruptured into the choledochus. In conclusion, nonviral causes of hepatitis are less common, but must be considered in the differential diagnosis. An important complication of hydatid disease is rupture to biliary tree. This situation may cause obstructive jaundice.