title: Drug-Induced Liver Failure Requiring Liver Transplant: Report and Review of the Role of Albendazole in Managing Echinococcal Infection.
abstract: Albendazole is often used as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of echinococcal infection to reduce cyst viability before and prevent recurrence after surgical treatment. In this report, we present a 38-year-old Iraqi woman with Echinococcus initiated on albendazole therapy who developed acute liver failure 6 weeks after treatment. Investigation for common viral and autoimmune causes of liver injury was unremarkable, and a liver biopsy revealed changes consistent with severe, drug-induced liver injury. Despite discontinuation of albendazole, liver function continued to deteriorate, prompting rescue with an orthotopic liver transplant. Often used perioperatively in the management of Echinococcus infection, albendazole can induce idiosyncratic severe liver injury, mandating close monitoring for hepatotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: >From the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Tyler D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Aasen
authors.forename: Laya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nasrollah
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seetharam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000923:Anticestodal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001706:Biopsy; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000923:Anticestodal Agents; D015766:Albendazole