Medical Microbiology

570 10 Helminths

Table 1 0. 3 ClinicalParametersofHumanCysticandAlveolarEchinococcosis^1

Clinicalparameters Cysticechinococcosis

Causativeagent:

E.granulosus

Alveolarechinococcosis

Causativeagent:

E.multilocularis

Incubationperiod: Monthstoseveralyears >5–1 5 years

Metacestode:

&Typicalform:

&Growth:

Cysts(seetext)

Expansive

Alveolarconglomerates

(seetext)

Infiltrative,likemalignant

tumor

Primarytargetorgans: Liver(60– 70 %),lungs(1 5 –

25 %),lessfrequentlyspleen,

kidneys,musculature,CNS,

etc.

Approx. 70 %ofpatientshave

solitarycysts

Liver(98– 100 %)

Complications: Secondaryechinococcosis^2 ,

mainlyinperitonealand

pleuralcavities

Metastasistoabdominal

organs,lungs,brain,bones,

etc.

Manifestationsofdisease

inagegroups:mean

and(extremes^3 )

38 years

(3–86)

> 54 years

(20– 8 4)

Symptoms: Dependsonlocalization,

size,andnumberofcysts

Dependsonextentof

changesinliverandother

organs

&Liver: Upperabdominalpains,

hepatomegaly,cholestasis,

jaundice,etc.

Upperabdominalpains,

jaundice,weightloss,also

feverandanemia

&Lungs: Thoracicpains,cough,

expectoration,dyspnea,etc.

Thoracicpains,etc.

&CNS: Neurologicalsymptoms Neurologicalsymptoms

Lethalityinuntreated

patients:

Exactdataunavailable Veryhigh:> 9 4–1 00 %

(^1) ForfurtherinformationseeAmmanandEckert:GastroenterologicalClinicN.Amer.
1 996:25: 655 – 689.
(^2) Seetextforexplanation.
(^3) AccordingtoastudyconductedinSwitzerland.
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Kayser, Medical Microbiology © 2005 Thieme