Alveococcosis: a challenging diagnosis (clinical reports)

Abstract

Human alveococcosis, caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis, is a zoonotic parasitic disease characterized by a prolonged asymptomatic course and a high rate of diagnostic challenges. Diagnostic difficulties are particularly common in patients from non-endemic regions due to limited physician awareness and the similarity of clinical and radiological findings to malignant tumors and other focal liver lesions. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical cases of alveococcosis and evaluate the diagnostic value of molecular genetic methods for disease confirmation. We present three clinical cases of patients examined and treated at the Clinic of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases of the Rostov Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Rospotrebnadzor. In all cases, initial diagnoses included alternative pathological conditions such as cystic echinococcosis and malignant hepatic neoplasms. Definitive diagnosis was established based on histopathological findings and molecular genetic analysis using polymerase chain reaction, which confirmed the presence of E. multilocularis DNA. These clinical observations highlight the significant diagnostic value of molecular genetic techniques in improving diagnostic accuracy, reducing the risk of misdiagnosis during differential diagnosis, and facilitating the timely initiation of appropriate treatment.