Abstract
There are a group of parasites that have been identified to cause human infections with liver involvement. These parasites are widely-distributed in the tropical and subtropical countries. Nonetheless, there is a growing number of patients with parasitic liver diseases reported in developed countries due to the widespread travel to and from tropical regions. Moreover, the extensive use of the immunosuppressive medications in treating several chronic inflammatory diseases and following organs transplantation, has increased the incidence of such type of infections in non-endemic settings. The etiologic parasites are categorized into protozoa, helminths, and arthropods, of these, the first two classes are the most common. Infections are often asymptomatic and self-limited in well-nourished patients with normal immunity. However, in immunosuppressed individuals, infections end to be more aggressive and even lethal in some cases. Thus, diagnosis of the liver parasitosis mandates a high index of clinical suspicion before laboratory testing. In this chapter, the liver involvement in some of the clinically-relevant parasitic infections will be reviewed. A basic knowledge about the key clinical, diagnostic, epidemiological and histopathologic features of these parasitic infections will be briefly-discussed.
Keywords
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Self Study
Self Study
1.1 Questions
-
1.
Which one of the followings is true regarding schistosomiasis?
-
(a)
The liver pathology is mainly attributed to the adult worm
-
(b)
The liver pathology is mainly attributed to the worm’s eggs
-
(c)
Diagnosis is usually carried out through serology
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(d)
Albendazole is the first drug of choice for treatment
-
(a)
-
2.
Which of the followings is consistent with hydatidosis?
-
(a)
It is a zoonotic disease
-
(b)
Man is a definitive host
-
(c)
Stool analysis is diagnostic
-
(d)
Treatment is always surgical
-
(a)
-
3.
Cholangiocarcinoma is a complication of which parasites?
-
(a)
Clonorchis sinensis
-
(b)
Fasciola gigantica
-
(c)
Fasciola hepatic
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(d)
Echinococcus granulosus
-
(a)
-
4.
Which one of the following is consistent with fascioliasis?
-
(a)
Opportunistic infections
-
(b)
Protozoan infections
-
(c)
Acquired via oral ingestion
-
(d)
Treated with albendazole
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(a)
-
5.
An adverse clinical outcome associated with ascariasis?
-
(a)
Liver cysts
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(b)
Cholangiocarcinoma
-
(c)
Biliary obstruction
-
(d)
Visceral larva migrans
-
(a)
-
6.
An appropriate first-line therapy for visceral larva migrans?
-
(a)
Albendazole
-
(b)
Ivermectin
-
(c)
Praziquantel
-
(d)
Azithromycin
-
(a)
-
7.
Which one of the following does not describe hepatic capillariasis?
-
(a)
Infection is attributed to a trematode, Capillaria hepatica
-
(b)
The pathology is attributed to the larvae in the liver
-
(c)
The pathology is attributed to the adults in the coecum
-
(d)
A definitive diagnosis mandates a liver biopsy
-
(a)
-
8.
Ingestion of ants can transmit which of the followings parasites?
-
(a)
Fasciolopsis buski
-
(b)
Enterobius vermicularis
-
(c)
Dicrocoelium dendriticum
-
(d)
Opisthorchis viverrini
-
(a)
-
9.
Eating snake meat can transmit which of the following parasitic infections?
-
(a)
Hepatic filariasis
-
(b)
Hepatic schistosomiasis
-
(c)
Visceral larva migrans
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(d)
Visceral pentastomiasis
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10.
Which one of the following protozoan infection commonly occurs in the liver?
-
(a)
Amoebic liver abscess
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(b)
Hepatic malaria
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(c)
Visceral leishmaniasis
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(d)
Hepatic toxoplasmosis
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(a)
1.2 Answers
-
1.
Which one of the followings is true regarding schistosomiasis?
-
The liver pathology is mainly attributed to the worm’s eggs
-
-
2.
Which of the followings is consistent with hydatidosis?
-
It is a zoonotic disease
-
-
3.
Cholangiocarcinoma is a complication of which parasites?
-
Clonorchis sinensis
-
-
4.
Which one of the following is consistent with fascioliasis?
-
Acquired via oral ingestion
-
-
5.
An adverse clinical outcome associated with ascariasis?
-
Biliary obstruction
-
-
6.
An appropriate first-line therapy for visceral larva migrans?
-
Albendazole
-
-
7.
Which one of the following does not describe hepatic capillariasis?
-
The pathology is attributed to the adults in the coecum
-
-
8.
Ingestion of ants can transmit which of the followings parasites?
-
Dicrocoelium dendriticum
-
-
9.
Eating snake meat can transmit which of the following parasites?
-
Visceral pentastomiasis
-
-
10.
The most protozoan infection in the liver?
-
Amoebic liver abscess
-
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Hawash, Y. (2020). Parasitic Liver Diseases. In: Radu-Ionita, F., Pyrsopoulos, N., Jinga, M., Tintoiu, I., Sun, Z., Bontas, E. (eds) Liver Diseases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24432-3_15
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