Tapeworm Trouble—A Rare Case Of Hydatid Cysts In The Heart

It was one of those bizarre cases—tapeworms somehow found their way into the body of a retired army man from Warangal. This led to the development of two major cysts in his heart, suspected to be due to tapeworms that were originally present in a dog’s intestines.

The cysts were detected during a checkup, when he complained of hypertension and uneasiness. The parasites were causing uneasiness and pain as they increased in size.

The ex-Army man was referred to Hyderabad for treatment, as this was a high-risk case of Hydatid cysts caused by tapeworms that enter the body via food, water or close proximity to animals like dogs and sheep.

As the patient didn’t have any pets, doctors suspected that in his case, the tapeworms could have entered his system through contaminated water or food.

Dr. K V Krishna Kumar, Senior Cardiothoracic Surgeon at KIMS Hospital, where the surgery was carried out, explained, “The formation of such cysts inside the heart region is very rare. We have so far only seen four such cases in India. It is more common to find these cysts in the lung and liver region.”

The cysts were removed through by-pass surgery, and the patient was instructed not to eat raw foods, or foods that have not been cooked thoroughly.

Preventive Tips For Pet Dog Owners

Wash your hands after coming into contact with dogs or objects contaminated with dog faeces, like garden soil.

Do not allow dogs to lick your face.

Have a thorough bath after bathing a dog, and do not cook or eat food immediately after handling the animal.

Deworm your dogs regularly.