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Pulmonary echinococcosis.

Echinococcosis or hydatid disease is caused by larvae of the tapeworm Echinococcus. Four species are recognised and the vast majority of infestations in humans are caused by E. granulosus. E. granulosus causes cystic echinococcosis, which has a worldwide distribution. Humans are exposed less frequently to E. multilocularis, which causes alveolar echinococcosis. E. vogeli and E. oligarthrus are rare species and cause polycystic echinococcosis. In cystic echinococcosis, humans are an accidental host and are usually infected by handling an infected dog. The liver and lungs are the most frequently involved organs. Pulmonary disease appears to be more common in younger individuals. Although most patients are asymptomatic, some may occasionally expectorate the contents of the cyst or develop symptoms related to compression of the surrounding structures. Other symptoms of hydatid disease can result from the release of antigenic material and secondary immunological reactions that develop from cyst rupture. The cysts are characteristically seen as solitary or multiple circumscribed or oval masses on imaging. Detection of antibody directed against specific echinococcal antigens is found in only approximately half of patients with pulmonary cysts. Surgical excision of the cyst is the treatment of choice whenever feasible.

Animals↗

Echinococcosis of the rib with epidural extension: a rare cause of paraplegia.

Skeletal echinococcosis is a relatively rare entity and that of the rib is exceptional. Less than 50 cases of costal echinococcosis have been reported in the literature so far. Accurate pre-operative diagnosis aids in appropriate management and helps to eradicate the disease. This also prevents the dissemination of parasite and further complications. We report a case of echinococcosis of the rib with epidural extension in a young adult who presented with paraparesis and back pain. His laboratory investigations were within normal limits. Plain radiographs of the dorsal spine, CT scan of thorax and MRI of dorsal spine were performed. The imaging features were suggestive of echinococcosis involving the rib with epidural extension. The cyst was completely resected. Histopathology of the resected specimen confirmed the diagnosis of echinococcosis.

Adult↗

Community surveys and risk factor analysis of human alveolar and cystic echinococcosis in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the true community prevalence of human cystic (CE) and alveolar (AE) echinococcosis (hydatid disease) in a highly endemic region in Ningxia Hui, China, by detecting asymptomatic cases. METHODS: Using hospital records and "AE-risk" landscape patterns we selected study communities predicted to be at risk of human echinococcosis in Guyuan, Longde and Xiji counties. We conducted community surveys of 4773 individuals from 26 villages in 2002 and 2003 using questionnaire analysis, ultrasound examination and serology. FINDINGS: Ultrasound and serology showed a range of prevalences for AE (0-8.1%; mean 2%) and CE (0-7.4%; mean 1.6%), with the highest prevalence in Xiji (2% for CE, 2.5% for AE). There were significant differences in the prevalence of CE, AE and total echinococcosis between the three counties and villages (with multiple degrees of freedom). While hospital records showed 96% of echinococcosis cases attributable to CE, our survey showed a higher prevalence of human AE (56%) compared to CE (44%). Questionnaire analysis revealed that key risk factors for infection were age and dog ownership for both CE and AE, and Hui ethnicity and being female for AE. Drinking well-water decreased the risk for both AE and CE. CONCLUSION: Echinococcosis continues to be a severe public health problem in this part of China because of unhygienic practices/habits and poor knowledge among the communities regarding this disease.

Adolescent↗

Human echinococcosis in Bulgaria: a comparative epidemiological analysis.

The present article describes the importance of human echinococcosis as a public health problem in Bulgaria, outlines the control measures carried out and evaluates comparatively the situation over three periods spanning 46 years (1950-1995). During the first period (1950-62), a total of 6469 new surgically confirmed cases of hydatid disease were recorded in Bulgaria, with an annual incidence of 6.5 per 100,000 population, and the infestation rate in domestic animals and dogs was high. Echinococcosis was endemic throughout the country. The organization of a control campaign, initiated in 1960, led to a considerable improvement in the situation during the second period (1971-82). Morbidity among humans gradually decreased, with an average incidence of 2.0 per 100,000, and the proportion of infected animals also fell. The distribution of echinococcosis was characterized as sporadic or of low endemicity. During the third period (1983-95), owing to administrative irregularities and economic changes, funds for supporting the campaign were reduced and control structures were dismantled. As a result, the incidence rose to 3.3 per 100,000. Echinococcosis again became endemic, in some regions hyperendemic. The findings provide convincing evidence that cessation of control measures or reduction of campaign activity can lead to intensification in the transmission of Echinococcus granulosus and to a resurgence in echinococcosis to previous levels.

Adolescent↗

[Imaging diagnosis of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in B mode ultrasonography (BU), computerized tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) so as to increase the pre-operative diagnostic rate. METHODS: The data of forty-six cases with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis who underwent operation during the period January 1984 to December 2000 were analyzed and compared with the pathological findings of the resected specimens. All of the cases were examined by BU and CT, and 12 of them were examined by MIR. RESULTS: The imaging characteristics of the 46 cases were divided into three types: infiltration (41 cases, 89.1%), calcification (39 cases, 84.8%), and cavity with liqueficaction (37 cases, 80.4%). Nine imaging signs were found to be specific to hepatic alveolar echinococcosis and of diagnostic significance: halo belt sign, calcification sign, annual ring sign, invacuation sign, cavity with liqueficaction sign, grotto sign, peninsula sign, alveolar sign. With these signs, the diagnostic accuracy rate reached 97.7% in this series. CONCLUSION: There are nine imaging diagnostic signs specific to hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. They help detect the location, pathology of this disease and determine operation program. Identification of only one of them is adequate for diagnosis of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.

Adult↗

Today's regional distribution of echinococcosis in China.

OBJECTIVE: To review the current regional distribution of echinococcosis in China for the purpose of providing the scientific data for the control of echinococcosis in the future. DATA SOURCES: All data in this paper were originated from related references in Chinese or English language Chinese journals except one from Lancet. STUDY SELECTION: Thirty-one original articles published from 1983 - 2001 were selected according to the stated purpose and 7 of them were written by the author. DATA EXTRACTION: The present paper addresses cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis(AE), as well as their respective regional distribution. RESULTS: CE was distributed chiefly in Western China where Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Tibet, west Sichuan and Qingzang plateau were hyper-endemic areas. Regional distribution of AE was not so extensive as that of CE, but it was found mainly in northwest China as well. Moreover, AE was extremely harmful to human body and "AE cancer" is popularly called. CONCLUSION: Steps should be taken in the future heath policy to control its spread. Regional distribution of echinococcosis is so extensive in China that CE and AE should be increasingly controlled today.

China↗

[Cystic echinococcosis in humans: our clinic experience].

Echinococcosis in humans is a zoonotic infection caused by larval stages of cestode species of the Echinococcus genus. In cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by Echinococcus granulosus, the liver is the first and the more frequent involved organ, followed by the lung. Heart, spleen, kidney and brain are usually less involved. The finding of a cyst in course of echinococcosis is usually fortuitous, during ultrasound examination, X-ray or CT. The Authors report 4 cases of human CE admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases University of Naples "Federico II". Each case is peculiar both for the organ involved by the cysts and for the symptomatolgy. The abdominal pain, in case 1 caused by gallstones, allowed, by the ultrasound examination, to find several hydatid cysts in the liver, never symptomatic until then. The woman, in case 2, was operated for cysts in the lung, without receiving pharmacological prophylaxis. The same occurred in case 4, in which the lack of prophylaxis caused very serious relapses. In case 3, the young woman underwent an ultrasound examination because of an abdominal pain. A unique large cyst extended only in the spleen. The specific serology for immunoglobulin anti-E. granulosus resulted positive 1:61 (n.v. < 50). The Albendazole therapy caused the disappareance of pain, quickly. Later, the patient was splenectomized. It's not clear why only the spleen was involved and why the anti-E. granulosus serum levels of were increased only a little. The man, in case 4, was admitted with chest pain and electrocardiographic findings of myocardial anterior ischemia. He underwent surgical treatment of three hepatic cysts by E. granulosus, during the previous year. Two-dimensional echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance revealed a round cystic mass, 6 x 6 mm, located in the middle interventricular septum. The cardiac isoenzymes were in the normal ranges, but the anti-E. granulosus immunoglobulins were positive 1:5120 (n.v. < 64). The patient was treated with Albendazole. This caused the almost simultaneous disappearance of the circular cystic and clinical and electrocardiographic findings of myocardial ischemia. A cardiac hydatid cyst is an uncommon lesion, occurring in about 0.4-2% of patients with echinococcosis. In conclusion, Cystic echinococcosis is a problem in Mediterranean regions because of the high population of stray dogs, favourable conditions created by man and, above all, the illegal slaughtering.

Abdominal Pain↗

Liver transplantation for patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in late stage.

BACKGROUND: Failed surgical treatment and multiple operations often lead to liver failure and make it difficult to be treated by traditional methods. Liver transplantation may be the ideal and the last choice. In this study we tried to explore the indication of liver transplantation for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) and the improvement of intraoperative treatment. METHODS: Five patients who had received liver transplantation of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in our hospital from 1999 through 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: All the patients (3 were male and 2 female) were in late stage of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. During orthotopic liver transplantation(OLT), 4 patients underwent veno-venous bypass, 3 were subjected to veno-venous bypass prior to the mobilization of the liver, and 2 received placement of T tube in the bile duct. In all the patients treated successfully by OLT, 4 recovered, and 1 died of severe infection and acute rejection after operation. T tube fell off in one patient. Postoperatively, pathological diagnosis verified hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. Four patients were followed up to the present, showing a good life quality and work capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in late stage can be considered as one of the indications of liver transplantation. Technique of veno-venous bypass prior to the mobilization of the liver could decrease operative time and bleeding. Early diagnosis and treatment of the disease ensures a better prognosis.

Adolescent↗

[Echinococcosis of the lungs].

The echinococcosis is the parasitic infection caused by the larval form of the echinococcus in a human or an animal organism. The infection can take part in any organ or tissue. About 20 percent of the echinococcosis of all locations are situated in the lungs. We present the results of the surgically treated lung echinococcosis. Various surgical methods of treatment were used, from the most economic ones to the most radical ones. In the last 32 years 234 patients were treated of lung echinococcosis. 224 of them were treated surgically, using the standard preoperative proceedings. Surgical methods based on the intraoperative patho-anatomic structure of the hydatid cysts were used with very sufficiently results. We preferred the economic, sparing surgical methods and used more radical ones just in a few cases. Five patients had a letel issue (2.23%), and three patients (1,34%) had a recidive of the lung echinococcosis.

Adult↗

[Personal experience in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic echinococcosis].

Human echinococcosis is endemic disease that occurs in some regions of Yugoslavia. It is caused by tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, whose larva can develop cysts in liver and other organs. In the study were presented 119 patients with hepatic echinococcosis, 57 (47.9%) females of average age 41.4 years (9-80) and 62 (52.1%) males of average age 35.5 years (6.72). Primary echinococcosis was present in 75 (63%), and recurrent in 44 (37%) patients. Right lobe of liver was affected in 83 (69.7%), left in 17 (14.3%) and both lobes in 19 (16%) of cases. The complications of hepatic echinococcosis such as cyst infection, cholestasis, cyst rupture in biliary tract and liver fibrosis were observed in 20 (16.8%) patients. Indirect immunofluorescence antibody test was positive in 91 out of 119 (68.1%) patients, and hemagglutination inhibition test was positive in 56 out of 77 (72.7%) patients. Surgically were treated 57 (47.9%) patients, and 41 of them received antihelminithic drugs pre and/or postoperatively. Disease recurrence was observed in 4 (7%) patients. Percutaneous puncture and drainage of echinococcus cyst with simultaneous albendazole administration was performed in 12 (10%) patients. In three of them liver abscess was developed during drainage, and for that reason, two patients had to be surgically treated. Ten (83.3%) patients were completely cured. Medicamentous therapy as the only treatment was used in 31 (26.1%) patients, 9 patients received mebendazole, 19 received albendazole and 3 patients received praziquantel. The success was achieved in 10 (32.3%) patients. Out of the total number, 19 (16%) patients were not treated at all. Surgical removal of the cyst takes a leading place in the treatment of hepatic echinococcosis. However, in well-selected cases and in the patients with high surgical risk, antihelminithic therapy and percutaneous drainage of echinococcus cyst are of more significance.

Adolescent↗

Echinococcosis in children and adolescents in Bulgaria: a comparative study.

Between 1971 and 1995, 5874 patients underwent surgery in Bulgaria because of cystic echinococcosis caused by Echinococcus granulosus. Of these 5874, 10.6% were children aged < 15 years and 5.25% adolescents aged 15-19 years, giving annual incidences of 1.25 and 2.03/100,000 inhabitants, respectively. Although the annual incidence of surgery for echinococcosis among adults (3.12/100,000) was higher than the combined value for children and adolescents (1.48/100,000), the data indicate that most human infections with E. granulosus occur during childhood and adolescence. In evaluating the epidemiology of echinococcosis or the effectiveness of a control programme, therefore, reductions or increases in the incidence of clinical disease among children and adolescents indicate an improving or worsening situation, respectively. The incidence of surgical treatment for echinococcosis was higher in males than females in all but the youngest subjects (< 5 years) and adults (> 19 years). It was also higher in rural populations than in urban populations, particularly among children and adolescents. Whereas cysts were found more frequently in the lungs of children and adolescents than their livers (51.8% v. 38.3% of the patients), most cysts found in the adults were hepatic (73.5% of patients) and relatively few were in the lungs (14.4% of patients).

Adolescent↗

Albendazole chemotherapy for human cystic and alveolar echinococcosis in north-western China.

Human echinococcosis is highly endemic in north-western China; the main treatment is by surgery. In this paper, we report the results of chemotherapy with albendazole (ABZ), 15-20 mg/kg/d orally, for 30 d with intervals of 10 d between treatments for 3-6 courses. For multi-organ cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE), patients were given 12-18 courses of ABZ. Patients were divided into 4 groups: (i) ABZ surgery group, albendazole with surgery for 21 CE cases: (ii) non-ABZ surgery group, 80 CE cases treated by surgery alone; (iii) ABZ CE group, albendazole treatment alone in 58 CE cases, and (iv) ABZ AE group, 14 AE patients treated by albendazole and surgical intervention and 5 AE patients treated by albendazole alone. Twenty-seven of 34 (79.4%) cysts in group (i) patients showed increased necrotic changes and decreased viability of the cysts compared to group (ii). However, 10 of 84 (11.9%) cysts in group (ii) patients showed spontaneous evidence of necrosis at surgery. In group (iii), ABZ treatment alone was successful in 14 (24.1%), resulted in improvement in 29 (50%) and had no effect in 15 (25.9%) patients. Seven cases in group (iv) improved, with diminished size of lesions which were non-viable. The remaining 7 cases in group (iv) showed evidence of cyst viability at surgery; 2 could not be saved after a further 15 courses of albendazole. Of the five AE patients in group (iv) who received only ABZ, one improved, 2 stabilized, one deteriorated and one died. Albendazole chemotherapy, while not completely effective, has an important role in treatment of both cystic and alveolar echinococcosis.

Administration, Oral↗

Combined application of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect haemagglutination test (IHA) as a useful tool for the diagnosis and post-operative surveillance of human alveolar and cystic echinococcosis.

A combined application of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect haemagglutination test (IHA) for the diagnosis and post-operative surveillance of human alveolar and cystic echinococcosis is described. Since January 1985 each serum sample submitted for the detection of specific antibodies was examined with both an ELISA using Echinococcus multilocularis antigen (EmELISA) and an IHA using E. granulosus antigen (EgIHA). In the course of our study altogether 72 human cases of Echinococcus infections were diagnosed. All 16 cases of alveolar echinococcosis (= 100%) and 48 out of 56 cases of cystic echinococcosis (= 86%) were revealed as Echinococcus infection at least in one of the two tests. Although crude antigens were used in both, EmELISA and EgIHA, species-specific diagnosis was achieved in 57 (= 89%) of 64 cases of the infections with E. multilocularis or E. granulosus. The diagnostic value of EmELISA and EgIHA for the post-operative surveillance is demonstrated by the follow-up of the immune response of one case of alveolar and three cases of cystic echinococcosis.

Adolescent↗

[Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis: diagnosis and treatment].

Alveolar echinococcosis is a parasitic disease which is relatively rare in humans. It almost exclusively affects patients of rural origin living in enzootic regions (Eastern France, Auvergne) and most lesions are in the liver. Several anatomico-clinical forms have been described; the most frequent is the multilocular form, but the disease may consist of one single cyst or abscess. The liver structure is always deeply altered, with compression, inflammation or superinfection. Jaundice, liver enlargement, abdominal pain or signs of secondary localizations are manifestations that lead to the discovery of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. The anatomical features of the lesions are demonstrated by ultrasounds and computerized tomography. The main differential diagnosis is tumoral pathology of the liver. In most cases the diagnosis of echinococcosis is confirmed by serological tests, although needle or even surgical biopsy might be necessary. Diagnosed at an early stage, alveolar echinococcosis can be amenable to surgical treatment (hepatectomy), and liver transplantation may even be performed. Medical treatment with benzimidazoles seems to be promising.

Albendazole↗

[Treatment of hepatic and pulmonary echinococcosis with mebendazole (Vermox)].

The therapeutic efficacy of Mebendazole (Vermox) was studied in 13 patients: 8 with liver and 5 with pulmonary echinococcosis. The drug was given in a dose of 50-70 mg/kg body mass. Good therapeutic effect was found in 4 patients (2 with liver nad 2 with pulmonary echinococcosis), partial therapeutic efficiency was registered also in 4 patients (2 with liver and 2 with pulmonary echinococcosis) and failure in 5 patients. The drug was more effective in pulmonary echinococcosis, in younger and smaller cysts than in older cysts with thick walls and presence of filial cysts. The efficacy of the treatment is related to the drug plasma concentration but the results depend on the cysts condition, too. The careful examination of the patients--X-ray, ultrasonography and computer tomography--before, during and after the treatment ensures objective evaluation of the treatment results.

Adult↗

[Peritoneal echinococcosis].

Secondary peritoneal echinococcosis was recorded from 50 in 312 patients (16 per cent) who had been hospitalised for liver echinococcosis. Hydatido and peritoneal hydatidiosis were recorded from 34 of these patients and thus accounted for the two most common pathological forms of secondary peritoneal echinococcosis, according to Dévè. Peritoneal echinococcosis usually is not diagnosed until conspicuous symptoms grow manifest due to cyst growth or other complications. Positive responses were recorded from all the above cases to laboratory tests (eosinophilia in over five to nine per cent) and were also established on the basis of immune reactions, including the complement fixation reaction according to Weinberg, the intracutaneous test by Casoni, and latex echinococcus reaction. Surgery, at present, is the only promising therapeutic approach to the problem. Surgical intervention could not even be avoided by application of mebendazol. Postoperative lethality amounted to four per cent and morbidity to ten per cent. They were comparatively low, measured by the generally poor prognosis of the disease.

Adolescent↗

Antibody activity in stick-ELISA as compared to other quantitative immunological tests in sera of echinococcosis cases.

Antibody activity in sera of 43 cases with cystic and 5 cases with alveolar echinococcosis was determined against hydatid fluid and extract of E. alveolaris. The results with Stick-ELISA were compared to those obtained with complement fixation and indirect hemagglutination. Results in ELISA were determined in stepless fashion and expressed as multiple of normal activity (MONA). Sensitivities of the different tests with reference to their respective ranges of nonrelevant activities were 95% in ELISA, 95% in indirect hemagglutination and 90% in complement fixation as determined with sera from cystic echinococcosis cases and their homologous antigen. Employing homologous and heterologous antigens, none of the three immunotests allowed the species specific diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis cases, whereas most cases of alveolar echinococcosis could be recognized by their predominant homologous antibody activity in ELISA and complement fixation.

Antibody Formation↗

[Pulmonary echinococcosis].

Two patients with pulmonal Echinococcosis are presented by the authors. Contact with cestoda carrier animals cannot be revealed. At the first patient, who was without any complaints, the two round shadows in her chest X-ray were detected accidentally by screening examination and before the operation only eosinophilia, many eosinophil granulocytes in the pleural effusion and the positive complement binding reaction were related to the Echinococcosis, which was proved by the histological examination of the intraoperative biopsy. The other patient had complaints during months. In this case the Echinococcus granulosus broke into the bronchus and emptied in the sputum. Postoperative histological diagnosis can be obtained by help of the excision from the intraluminal alteration which was visible during bronchoscopy. The authors summarize the etiology, the clinical signs, the diagnose and the therapy of Echinococcosis. They call attention to the incidence of this mainly tropical disease in Hungary and to the rare soliter pulmonal manifestation of the Echinococcosis.

Adult↗