The following symptoms and complaints may indicate echinococcosis:
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) (fox tapeworm)
A 5-15 year asymptomatic incubation period of AE is due to the slow growth of the larva.E. multilocularis grows infiltrative tumors. It can spread from the liver to adjacent structures and lead to distant metastases. This also explains the symptoms that follow.
Symptoms
- Nonspecific upper abdominal discomfort (about 1/3 of cases).
- Icterus (jaundice) (about 1/3 of cases).
- Abnormal weight loss/unwanted weight loss.
- Chronic fatigue (tiredness)
- Hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver)
The diagnosis is also made as an incidental finding during routine laboratory and/or diagnostic imaging (usually sonography/ultrasound).
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) (canine tapeworm)
An asymptomatic incubation period of CE lasting several years to decades may precede clinical symptoms
Only size growth, of mostly (40-80%) solitary cysts, leads to symptoms. Cysts are found in approximately 70% of the liver and 20% of the lungs; any organ may be affected.Furthermore, symptoms result:
- Bacterial infection
- Fistula formation
- Spatial growth
- Cyst rupture (tear) (spontaneous/traumatic) → secondary echinococcosis (see below sequelae).
Symptoms
- Abdominal pain (abdominal pain)
- Vomiting
- Hypersensitivity reactions, possibly allergic shock – due to the contents of ruptured cyst.
- Biliary obstruction; possibly also recurrent (bacterial) cholangitis (bile duct inflammation).
Note: Up to 60% of all patients with cystic echinococcosis remain asymptomatic. The diagnosis is also made as an incidental finding during diagnostic imaging (usually sonography/ultrasound).
