Acute Fasciola Hepatica Infection with Severe Presentation: a Successful Treatment with Triclabendazol

Olimpia Chira 1, Petre Florescu 2, Zeno Sparchez 1,Teodor Zaharie1, D. Dumitra 1 , Mihaela Popa 1,Ovidiu Bala 3

1. 3 rd Medical Clinic, 2) Pathology Department of University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 3) 3 rd Surgical Clinic, Cluj-Napoca

Abstract

Fascioliasis is a worldwide parasitic disease of domestic herbivore animals. Sheep and cattle are the normal hosts while man is an accidental host. Depending on dietary habits, human fascioliasis is endemic in particular areas. The acute form of human fascioliasis is uncommon and does not have an optimal treatment. We describe a patient with acute Fasciola hepatica infection, successfully treated with triclabendazole. The main symptoms and signs were fever, sensible hepatomegaly, weight loss and eosinophilia. Diagnosis of fascioliasis was suggested by the liver histopathological examination and confirmed by the presence of parasite eggs in stools.Treatment with albendazole and praziquantel was ineffective. WHO recommends triclabendazole, a drug highly effective against fascioliasis in cattle and sheep, as the drug of choice in the treatment of chronic human fasciolasis. We used the veterinary preparation Fasinex at an oral dose of 10 mg/kg/day on two consecutive days. The outcome was favorable.

Key words

Human fascioliasis – triclabendazole