Case Report

Hepatic Cystic Echinococcosis with Abscess Formation: A Rare Case Report from Vietnam

Abstract

Larval forms of Echinococcus tapeworm infection (Cystic Echinococcosis - CE) are a zoonosis of major public health relevance. While prevalent in many Asian countries, it is rarely reported in Vietnam. We present a case of a 73-year-old male farmer from rural Bac Ninh Province with a history of close contact with dogs and consumption of raw vegetables. Originally diagnosed with an asymptomatic 40-mm simple hepatic cyst in 2020, he presented in 2025 with high fever and subcostal pain. Imaging (US/CT) and ELISA serology confirmed a suppurated Echinococcus sp. cyst (WHO stage CE3a). Notably, laboratory results showed a significant systemic inflammatory response with unusual lymphocytosis. The patient underwent a successful partial left hepatectomy and received adjuvant albendazole therapy. This case underscores the necessity of considering CE in the differential diagnosis of hepatic cysts in non-endemic regions like Vietnam, especially when complicated by abscess formation.

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IssueVol 21 No 3 (2026) QRcode
SectionCase Report(s)
Keywords
Cystic echinococcosis Echinococcus spp. Liver Abscess formation Vietnam
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Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
1.
Ho T, Nguyen C, Do H, Nguyen T, Le A, Vu T, Hoang T, Pham H, Le C. Hepatic Cystic Echinococcosis with Abscess Formation: A Rare Case Report from Vietnam. Iran J Parasitol. 2026;21(3):420-425.