Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0019209 (hepatomegaly)
 5,798 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The paper reports available data on 72 known human cases of polycystic echinococcosis (PE) caused by Echinococcus vogeli (Ev) or E. oligarthrus (Eo). The patients' ages ranged from 6 to 78 years (median 44); one third were younger than 22 years and had severe lesions, demonstrating the aggressiveness of PE. There were no differences in occurrence between sexes. In 80% of the cases the lesions were in the liver alone or in combination with other organs; the rest were located in the lung or other single sites. The diagnosis of PE was based on the demonstration of polycystic larval cestode lesions by radiological imaging (X-ray, US, CT scan) in patients born in tropical sylvatic areas of America where wild carnivores (canids, felids) and rodents (pacas and other species) were present. Serologic tests often, but not always, supported the diagnosis. Species identification of Ev or Eo were based on morphological characteristics of rostellar hooks from protoscoleces. The most common clinical presentation was abdominal; hard, round masses in or connected with the liver, hepatomegaly, increased abdominal size, pain, marked weight-loss and fever. Signs of portal hypertension were also present in 25% of cases, all of whom died of the disease or surgical complications following biliary drainage or partial hepatectomy. Ten percent were in asymptomatic persons. Albendazole treatment resulted in clinical improvement and disappearance or reduction of the size of lesions in some patients observed up to 24 months. The author believes that albendazole treatment should be tried before any other treatment is implemented. Human PE was reported from 11 countries, from Nicaragua to Argentina, 31 case were due to E. vogeli, three to E. oligarthrus (two orbital from Venezuela and Surinam and one cardiac from Brazil) and 38 were due to Echinococcus sp. (no rostellar hooks were available). PE reported from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, countries outside the geographical range of the bush dog (only natural host of Ev) may have been due to Eo rather than to Ev. Several felids are known to serve as final host of Eo, and they are present in those areas. Epidemiological field studies of autochthonous human populations in tropical areas may contribute to early detection and make possible greater success in treatment of polycystic echinococcosis.
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PMID:Polycystic echinococcosis in tropical America: Echinococcus vogeli and E. oligarthrus. 923 39

Hydatid disease (HD) is a parasitic infection often caused by the larvae of Echinococcus granulosus and rarely by Echinococcus multilocularis in endemic areas. This study aims to emphasize the perioperative administration of anthelmintic therapy over the different surgical procedures aimed at curing HD, because radical resection remains the only potentially curative treatment for hepatic echinococcosis. From October 1988 to September 2003, a total of 140 patients with echinococcal disease were studied: 125 presented with liver HD and 15 with extrahepatic echinococcus cysts (79 men and 62 women; median age, 47.8 years). Right hypochondriac pain, hepatomegaly, and dyspeptic complaints were the major symptoms, whereas cholestatic jaundice and itching were observed in 37 patients (28%). Ultrasound scan and computed tomography scan were performed in all patients preoperatively. The initial diagnosis was confirmed in all cases postoperatively by histological and anatomo-pathological examinations. All patients were given albendazole preoperatively for 5-7 days (10 mg/kg), continued for 4-6 weeks postoperatively in case where the protoscoleces were viable. The majority of the patients presented with one solitary cyst (68%), whereas 45 of the remaining (32%) presented with multiple cysts (two to four). The mean diameter of the cyst was 7 cm. One hundred thirty patients (93%) presented for regular follow-ups, and the median follow-up period was 52 months (range, 23-78 months). In conclusion, surgical treatment is indicated for liver HD because the rate for a definitive cure of the disease is high, and complications and recurrence risk is low. Albendazole treatment should preferably be administered perioperatively and always after R1 resection.
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PMID:A 15-year experience (1988-2003) in the management of liver hydatidosis in northwestern Greece. 1677 83

Capillaria hepatica is a very rare zoonotic infestation which primarily infests rodents and is rarely found in humans. The presenting features are fever of unknown origin, hepatomegaly and peripheral eosinophilia. Liver biopsy remains the cornerstone of diagnosis. Treatment of choice is Albendazole and outcome is generally good.
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PMID:Capillaria hepatica infestation. 1799 80

Alveolar echinococcosis is a rare parasitic disease, especially of the liver, caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. At the end of the last century France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland were the regions where this disease most often manifested itself, these days this infection is diagnosed also in our territory. We describe the case of the disease of a twenty-five-year-old male with nonspecific signs and hepatomegaly, who was diagnosed on the basis of imaging and laboratory sampling. Due to inoperability the patient is now in infectologist follow-up on long-term treatment with Albendazole. He is clinically stable, included on the waiting list for liver transplantation.
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PMID:A RARE PARASITIC DISEASE OF THE LIVER - ALVEOLAR ECHINOCOCCOSIS. 2988 56