SUDDEN-DEATH CAUSED BY HYDATID EMBOLISM

History: A 45-year-old woman from Turkey who had been living in German y for 6 years, suddenly became short of breath, developed seizures and died within 2 minutes. There was no evidence of previous illness. Inv estigations: At autopsy a large hydatid and many other hydatids of var ying sizes were found inside the left heart. Rupture of one of the hyd atid cysts in the left atrium had caused embolism to the arterial syst em. The cyst walls showed typical laminar cuticular structure. The sed iments of the cyst fluid contained scolices of Echinococcus granulosus , but no antibodies were demonstrated by indirect haemagglutination. D iagnosis and conclusion: This is a rare case of Echinococcus granulosu s infection, limited to the heart, which had followed an asymptomatic course until sudden death caused by arterial embolism of the hydatids. Such diagnosis should be considered in case of sudden death of person s from areas in which the disease is endemic.