Environmental Influence on the Occurrence of Multi-Organ Cystic Echinococcosis Infection in a Patient from Sardinia, Italy

Abstract

An uncommon clinical case of an adult woman who was referred to the hospital with severe symptoms attributable to cystic echinococcosis (CE) is described in this report. According to a questionnaire, the subject was exposed to a high risk of infection since she was employed on a farm about 20 years before diagnosis. She lived close to several animal species and handled vegetables in inadequate hygienic conditions. Medical and laboratory investigations confirmed the presence of massive echinococcal cystic lesions in each lung and in the liver. Given the peculiarity of the case, pharmacological and surgical treatments were the only conceivable option. The association of pharmacological treatment, surgery, and interventional radiology procedure represented a reliable and effective way to handle a complex case of human hydatidosis. A multi-disciplinary approach was mandatory, resulting in a clear and conclusive diagnosis of CE caused by the zoonotic parasite E. granulosus sensu stricto of the G1 genotype.

Complicated Clinical Course of a Patient with Multivisceral Cystic Echinococcosis Requiring Extensive Surgical and Medical Treatment

“…The expertise of the Colentina Hospital's Parasitology Clinic, as well as the hospital's Surgery Clinic, emphasizes the importance of the interdisciplinary therapy required by some patients, such as the patient reported in this paper. As highlighted by a recent publication, medical and surgical care of E. granulosus infection is complex due to the slow development of the cysts and the disease's wide range of possible complications [33]. It is worth noting that the patient described by the Italian team was of Romanian origin and had emigrated to Sardinia 23 years prior.…”