Objective One of the most serious helminth infections in humans with widespread occurrence is hydatid disease. This study was aimed to evaluate the characteristic of hydatid disease in children admitted to the Tabriz Children’s Hospital in the eastern Azarbaijan Province in the northwest of Iran.

Methods and Materials Over a period of 6 years (2001–2006) patients with a diagnosis of hydatid cysts were retrospectively identified. The clinical and epidemiologic data from these patients and therapeutic outcomes were analysed.

Results Twenty three patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria. The mean age was 8.52±3.088 years (range, 4 to 13 years). The male/female ratio was 1.09. Lung cysts were found in 17 (73.9%) and liver cysts in 11 patients (47.8%). Seven patients (30.4%) had coexisting cysts in lungs and livers and 2 (8.7%) had cysts only in their kidneys.

Conservative surgical treatment was carried out in all patients and cases who had multiple cysts received albendazol.

Conclusion This information may be useful for assessing the cost effectiveness of designing effective public health programs to control echinococcosis in this and other endemic areas.