Echinococcosis (patient information)

Echinococcosis
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Echinococcosis?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Overview

Echinococcus is an infection caused by the Echinococcus granulosus or Echinococcus multilocularis worm

What are the symptoms of Echinococcosis?

A liver cyst may produce no symptoms for 10 - 20 years until it is large enough to be felt by physical examination. Symptoms include:

• Pain in the upper right part of the abdomen
• Bloody sputum
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Fever
• Severe skin itching

What causes Echinococcosis?

Echinococcus is common in:

• Africa
• Central Asia
• Southern South America
• The Mediterranean
• The Middle East
• In the United States, the disease is very rare. However, it has been reported in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.

Humans become infected when they swallow eggs in contaminated food. The infection is carried to the liver, where cysts form. Cysts can also form in the:

• Brain
• Bones
• Kidney
• Lungs
• Skeletal muscles
• Spleen

Who is at highest risk?

Risk factors include being exposed to:

• Cattle
• Deer
• Feces of dogs, wolves, or coyotes
• Pigs
• Sheep

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of this disorder.

Diagnosis

A physical examination may show signs of:

• Abdominal pain
• Problems with the skin and other organs
• Shock

The following tests may be done to find the cysts:

• Abdominal CT scan or ultrasound
• Abdominal X-ray
• Blood test
• Chest x-ray
• Liver function tests
• Thoracic CT scan or ultrasound

Treatment options

Many patients can be treated with albendazole or mebendazole. These medications are often used for up to 3 months. Another drug, praziquantel, may be helpful combined with albendazole or mebendazole.

The cysts may be removed with surgery, if possible. This can be a complicated surgery.

Where to find medical care for Echinococcosis?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Echinococcosis

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

If the cysts respond to oral medication, the likely outcome is good.

Possible complications

The cysts may break open (rupture) and cause severe illness, including:

• Fever
• Low blood pressure
• Shock
• The cysts may also spread throughout the body.

Prevention

In areas where the disease is known to occur, health education and routinely removing tapeworms from dogs can help prevent the disease.

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000676.htm