Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Parasitic Liver Diseases

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Liver Diseases

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Yoh NT, Wagener G. The splanchnic and systemic circulation in liver disease. In: Wagener G, editor. Liver anesthesiology and critical care medicine. 2018. p. 63–68. Cham: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  2. Walker NF, Chiodini PL. Liver lesions in the returning traveller. Medicine. 2018;46(1):16–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Fishman JA. Infection in organ transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2017;17(4):856–79.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Chiodini PL, Godbole G. Parasitic infections of the liver and bile ducts. Surgery of the liver, bile ducts and pancreas in children. 2017; 12:5.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Kovalszki A, Weller PF. Eosinophils and eosinophilia. In: Clinical immunology. 5th ed. 2019. p. 349–61.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Colley DG, Bustinduy AL, Secor WE, King CH. Human schistosomiasis. The Lancet. 2014;383(9936):2253–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Weerakoon K, Gordon C, McManus D. DNA diagnostics for schistosomiasis control. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2018;3(3):81.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Gottstein B, Beldi G. Echinococcosis. In: Infectious diseases. 4th ed. 2017. p. 1038–45).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Yang S, Zhao Y, McManus DP, Yang Y. Current research advance on Echinococcosis. In: Echinococcosis. 2017. InTech.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Zheng S, Zhu Y, Zhao Z, Wu Z, Okanurak K, Lv Z. Liver fluke infection and cholangiocarcinoma: a review. Parasitol Res. 2017;116(1):11–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hughes T, O’Connor T, Techasen A, Namwat N, Loilome W, Andrews RH, Khuntikeo N, Yongvanit P, Sithithaworn P, Taylor-Robinson SD. Opisthorchiasis and cholangiocarcinoma in Southeast Asia: an unresolved problem. Int J General Med. 2017;10:227–37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Mas-Coma S, Bargues MD, Valero MA. Human fascioliasis infection sources, their diversity, incidence factors, analytical methods and prevention measures. Parasitology. 2018:1–35.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Teke M, Önder H, Çiçek M, Hamidi C, Göya C, Çetinçakmak MG, Hattapoğlu S, Ülger BV. Sonographic findings of hepatobiliary fascioliasis accompanied by extrahepatic expansion and ectopic lesions. J Ultrasound Med. 2014;33(12):2105–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Deslyper G, Holland CV. Overview on Ascariasis in humans in South Asia. In: Singh SK, editor. Neglected tropical diseases-South Asia. Cham: Springer; 2017. p. 83–120.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  15. Das AK. Hepatic and biliary ascariasis. J Global Infect Dis. 2014;6(2):65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Gupta P, Sinha SK, Malik S, Dhaka N, Srinivasan R, Kochhar R. Hepatic visceral larva migrans: a diagnostic enigma. Trop Doct. 2018;48(4):345–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Yadav SC, Sathe PA, Ghodke RK. Hepatic capillariasis: A rare parasitic infection. Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2016;59(1):124.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Furnée EJ, Spoto C, de Graaf MJ, Smakman N. Enterobius vermicularis infection of the liver in a patient with colorectal carcinoma with suspected liver metastasis. BMJ Case Rep. 2015;2015:bcr2015212271.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Nutman TB. Human infection with Strongyloides stercoralis and other related Strongyloides species. Parasitology. 2017;144(3):263–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Ofori E, Ramai D, Khan A, Xiao P, Reddy M, Shahzad G. Hepatobiliary strongyloidiasis presenting as an ampullary lesion on esophagogastroduodenoscopy/endoscopic ultrasound. Gastroenterol Rep. 2018.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Jali SN, Padhi PK, Nageswar M, Tripathy DM, Meher LK, Naik DK. Fasciolopsiasis: a rare case report from a tertiary care hospital in south Odisha, India. Asian J Sci Technol. 2018;9(4):7981–3.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Abd Ella OH, Mohammad AE. Dicrocoelium dendriticum infection in a patient with chronic Schistosomiasis haematobium. J Egypt Soc Parasitol. 2015;240(2496):1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Latif BM, Muslim A, Chin HC. Human and animal pentastomiasis in Malaysia. J Tropic Life Sci. 2016;6(2):131–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Berger S. Amoebiasis: global status: 2018 edition. Los Angeles, CA: Gideon Informatics Inc; 2018.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Anesi JA, Gluckman S. Amebic liver abscess. Clin Liver Dis. 2015;6(2):41–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Einarsson E, Ma’ayeh S, Svärd SG. An up-date on Giardia and giardiasis. Curr Opin Microbiol. 2016;34:47–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Araki H, Shimizu S, Hayashi K, Yamada T, Kusakabe A, Kanie H, Mizuno Y, Kojima I, Saitou A, Nagao K, Suzuki Y. Acute acalculous cholecystitis caused by Giardia lamblia. Internal Med. 2017;56(13):1657–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Xiao L, Cama VA. Cryptosporidium and cryptosporidiosis. In Foodborne parasites. 2018. Cham: Springer; p. 73–117.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  29. Gupta S, Johnson A, Meyrick S, Davies AP, Chalmers R. A case of hepato-biliary infection secondary to cryptosporidium in a patient on tacrolimus. JMM Case Rep. 2018;5(8):e005159.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Naseer M, Dailey FE, Alhareth Al Juboori SS, Tahan V. Epidemiology, determinants, and management of AIDS cholangiopathy: A review. World J Gastroenterol. 2018;24(7):767.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Flemming A. Malaria: hitting all stages of the parasite life cycle. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2015;14(8):527.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Chandra S, Dhawale S, Chouhan A. Hepatic dysfunction in falciparum malaria. J Evol Med Dental Sci. 2015;4(2):184–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Chappuis F, Sundar S, Hailu A, Ghalib H, Rijal S, Peeling RW, Alvar J, Boelaert M. Visceral leishmaniasis: what are the needs for diagnosis, treatment and control? Nat Rev Microbiol. 2007;5(11 supp):S7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Das S, Sarkar N, Chatterjee K, Aich B, Bhattacharya M. Portal hypertension and reactive hemophagocytosis in pediatric visceral leishmaniasis. Bangladesh J Med Sci. 2015;14(4):409–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Dubey JP. Toxoplasmosis of animals and humans. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2016.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  36. Choi EY, Lamps LW. Granulomas in the liver, with a focus on infectious causes. Surg Pathol Clinics. 2018;11(2):231–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Bern C. Chagas’ disease. New Engl J Med. 2015;373(5):456–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Rodriguez-Guardado A, González ML, Rodriguez M, Flores-Chavez M, Boga JA, Gascon J. Trypanosoma cruzi infection in a Spanish liver transplant recipient. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2015;21(7):687–e1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Vannier E, Krause PJ. Babesiosis in China, an emerging threat. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015;15(2):137–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Fang DC, McCullough J. Transfusion-transmitted Babesia microti. Transfus Med Rev. 2016;30(3):132–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Meissner EG, McGillicuddy JW, Squires J, Skipper D, Self S, Wray D, Moritz ED, Stramer SL, Nadig S. Across state lines: Fulminant Babesia microti infection in a liver transplant recipient. Transplant Infectious Disease. 2017 Oct;19(5):e12741.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Further Reading

  • Bogitsh BJ, Carter CE, Oeltmann TN. Human parasitology. New York: Academic Press; 2018.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carnero PR, Mateo PH, Martín-Garre S, Pérez ÁG, Del Campo L. Unexpected hosts: imaging parasitic diseases. Insight Imag. 2017;8(1):101–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan AW, Quaglia A, Haugk B, Burt A. Nonviral infectious liver disease. In: Atlas of liver pathology. 2014; New York, NY: Springer. p. 105–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dooley JS, Lok AS, Garcia-Tsao G, Pinzani M. Sherlock’s diseases of the liver and biliary system. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 2018.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn MA. Parasitic diseases. Schiff’s Dis Liver. 2011;9:1017–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hadžić N. Liver disease in immunodeficiencies. Liver Dis Child. 2014:370.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones D, Sturm E, Lohse AW. Access to care in rare liver diseases: new challenges and new opportunities. J Hepatol. 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lefkowitch JH. Scheuer’s liver biopsy interpretation E-book. Oxford: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanford CA, Jong EC, Pottinger PS. The travel and tropical medicine manual E-Book. Oxford: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox CM, Mönkemüller KE. AIDS and the gastrointestinal tract. Philadelphia: GI/Liver Secrets Plus E-Book; 2014. p. 427.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical and Molecular Parasitology, The National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt

    Yousry Hawash

Authors
  1. Yousry Hawash
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, “Titu Maiorescu” University, Central Military Emergency University Hospital “Dr. Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania

    Florentina Radu-Ionita

  2. New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA

    Nikolaos T. Pyrsopoulos

  3. Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Central Military Emergency University Hospital “Dr. Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania

    Mariana Jinga

  4. Faculty of Medicine, “Titu Maiorescu” University, Central Military Emergency University Hospital “Dr. Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Romania

    Ion C. Tintoiu

  5. Medical Radiation Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia

    Zhonghua Sun

  6. “Prof. C.C. Iliescu” Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases, Bucharest, Romania

    Ecaterina Bontas

Self Study

Self Study

1.1 Questions

  1. 1.

    Which one of the followings is true regarding schistosomiasis?

    1. (a)

      The liver pathology is mainly attributed to the adult worm

    2. (b)

      The liver pathology is mainly attributed to the worm’s eggs

    3. (c)

      Diagnosis is usually carried out through serology

    4. (d)

      Albendazole is the first drug of choice for treatment

  2. 2.

    Which of the followings is consistent with hydatidosis?

    1. (a)

      It is a zoonotic disease

    2. (b)

      Man is a definitive host

    3. (c)

      Stool analysis is diagnostic

    4. (d)

      Treatment is always surgical

  3. 3.

    Cholangiocarcinoma is a complication of which parasites?

    1. (a)

      Clonorchis sinensis

    2. (b)

      Fasciola gigantica

    3. (c)

      Fasciola hepatic

    4. (d)

      Echinococcus granulosus

  4. 4.

    Which one of the following is consistent with fascioliasis?

    1. (a)

      Opportunistic infections

    2. (b)

      Protozoan infections

    3. (c)

      Acquired via oral ingestion

    4. (d)

      Treated with albendazole

  5. 5.

    An adverse clinical outcome associated with ascariasis?

    1. (a)

      Liver cysts

    2. (b)

      Cholangiocarcinoma

    3. (c)

      Biliary obstruction

    4. (d)

      Visceral larva migrans

  6. 6.

    An appropriate first-line therapy for visceral larva migrans?

    1. (a)

      Albendazole

    2. (b)

      Ivermectin

    3. (c)

      Praziquantel

    4. (d)

      Azithromycin

  7. 7.

    Which one of the following does not describe hepatic capillariasis?

    1. (a)

      Infection is attributed to a trematode, Capillaria hepatica

    2. (b)

      The pathology is attributed to the larvae in the liver

    3. (c)

      The pathology is attributed to the adults in the coecum

    4. (d)

      A definitive diagnosis mandates a liver biopsy

  8. 8.

    Ingestion of ants can transmit which of the followings parasites?

    1. (a)

      Fasciolopsis buski

    2. (b)

      Enterobius vermicularis

    3. (c)

      Dicrocoelium dendriticum

    4. (d)

      Opisthorchis viverrini

  9. 9.

    Eating snake meat can transmit which of the following parasitic infections?

  1. (a)

    Hepatic filariasis

  2. (b)

    Hepatic schistosomiasis

  3. (c)

    Visceral larva migrans

  4. (d)

    Visceral pentastomiasis

  1. 10.

    Which one of the following protozoan infection commonly occurs in the liver?

    1. (a)

      Amoebic liver abscess

    2. (b)

      Hepatic malaria

    3. (c)

      Visceral leishmaniasis

    4. (d)

      Hepatic toxoplasmosis

1.2 Answers

  1. 1.

    Which one of the followings is true regarding schistosomiasis?

    • The liver pathology is mainly attributed to the worm’s eggs

  2. 2.

    Which of the followings is consistent with hydatidosis?

    • It is a zoonotic disease

  3. 3.

    Cholangiocarcinoma is a complication of which parasites?

    • Clonorchis sinensis

  4. 4.

    Which one of the following is consistent with fascioliasis?

    • Acquired via oral ingestion

  5. 5.

    An adverse clinical outcome associated with ascariasis?

    • Biliary obstruction

  6. 6.

    An appropriate first-line therapy for visceral larva migrans?

    • Albendazole

  7. 7.

    Which one of the following does not describe hepatic capillariasis?

    • The pathology is attributed to the adults in the coecum

  8. 8.

    Ingestion of ants can transmit which of the followings parasites?

    • Dicrocoelium dendriticum

  9. 9.

    Eating snake meat can transmit which of the following parasites?

    • Visceral pentastomiasis

  10. 10.

    The most protozoan infection in the liver?

    • Amoebic liver abscess

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

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

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24432-3_15

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-24431-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-24432-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation