Eight cases of fascioliasis: clinical and microbiological features.
Fascioliasis is a parasitic infection caused by the ingestion of food contaminated with Fasciola hepatica.


OBJECTIVE
We report an epidemic of eight cases of fascioliasis in southern France, and describe the clinical features, and the diagnostic and therapeutic tools.


RESULTS
Our series includes almost every clinical form described, apart from the pseudotumoral form. Early diagnosis relied mainly on serum assays. Among these, counter-electrophoresis was the first to be positive and therefore appears to be the most useful test, including cases where patients are asymptomatic or mildly ill. Patients were treated with the usual dose of triclabendazole, but six of them required a double dose to recover.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of 20 mg/kg triclabendazole is safe and efficient for patients with acute fascioliasis when a single dose has failed to cure them.
Dauchy
F A
FA
Service de médecine interne C, service du Docteur-Lifermann, centre hospitalier de Dax, boulevard Yves-Du-Manoir, 40100 Dax, France. fadauchy@hotmail.com
Vincendeau
P
P
Lifermann
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003378:Counterimmunoelectrophoresis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004386:Duodenum / Q000469:parasitology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D016266:Food Parasitology; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D031223:Nasturtium / Q000469:parasitology; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000077682:Triclabendazole
D000871:Anthelmintics; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D000077682:Triclabendazole