• Won Jun Choi, Hanna Jin, Hyeon Jae Jo, Chan Mi Lee, Chang Kyung Kang, Pyoeng Gyun Choe, Wan Beom Park, Nam Joong Kim, and Min-Ho Choi.
• Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
• J. Korean Med. Sci. 2025 Feb 3; 40 (4): e88e88.

AbstractEchinococcosis, caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus, is rare in Korea and is primarily imported from endemic areas. We report a case of a 37-year-old Korean man with multiple large hepatic cysts, initially diagnosed as simple cysts at a local clinic in 2018. The patient had lived in Oman, an endemic area, for several months in 2016. Upon referral to a tertiary hospital in 2023, due to progressive cyst enlargement, liver magnetic resonance imaging revealed three large cysts with a water lily sign. Serum IgG against Echinococcus was positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After diagnosis of echinococcosis, treatment with albendazole and puncture-aspiration-injection-reaspiration (PAIR) was performed. Microscopic and molecular analysis of cyst aspirates confirmed Echinococcus granulosus infection. Follow-up computed tomography demonstrated a reduction in cyst size, yet the emergence of a new right pleural effusion and consolidation in the left lower lobe of the lung necessitated the continuation of albendazole therapy. This case highlights the importance of thorough travel history, imaging findings, and the effectiveness of PAIR combined with albendazole in treating imported echinococcosis.© 2025 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

28 keywords...

hide…