title: Progressive alveolar echinococcosis after discontinuation of anthelmintic therapy.
abstract: We report a case of a female patient with alveolar echinococcosis (AE) who presented with progressive pulmonary and hepatic lesions and had a fatal outcome. AE affecting the liver, the lungs and the brain had been diagnosed 20 years ago and treated successfully with albendazole and stereotactic gamma knife therapy. Due to severe hair loss albendazole was stopped 14 years before presentation. Lesions had remained stable in imaging studies for at least 11 years, but then had started to progress. Lifelong anthelmintic maintenance therapy and regular follow-up may therefore be crucial in order to prevent such a dramatic clinical course.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meilinger
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stoeckl
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollheimer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: Emil C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Reisinger
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seeber
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flick
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoenigl
mesh_terms: D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D004443:Echinococcosis; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D028761:Withholding Treatment
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics