Alveolar echinococcosis - a rare disease with differential diagnostic problems

Abstract

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a life-threatening zoonotic parasitic disease. Its incidence is rare, in some cases, the correct and timely diagnosis can be difficult.

The case of a young patient with liver, diaphragm and lung involvement. The suspinacion of EI was made on the basis of medical history, clinical symptoms, and a combination of USG, CT, MRI tests and serological methods, also multimodal treatment with albendazole and en-bloc resection of the liver, lung and diaphragm.

The definitive diagnosis of AE was determinated from samples of the resected tissues using histopathology and polymerase chain reaction methods. Conclusion - the patient has been followed regularly and is on life-long treatment with albendazole.

Keywords

• Alveolar echinococcosis
• diagnosis of echinococcosis infection
• multimodal treatment
• follow-up