Infection caused by which of the following organism may mimic as malignancy?
High-Yield Explanation
Echinococcus multilocularis: It causes the rare but the most serious condition of alveolar / multilocular hydatid disease in humans. The adult worm is smaller than E. granulosus and lives in the intestines of foxes, dogs and cats. Human infection develops from eating fruits / vegetables contaminated with their faeces. Rodents are the main intermediate host. The liver is the organ most often affected. The multilocular infiltrating lesion appears like grossly invasive growth that can be mistaken for malignant tumour. It may also metastasize to lungs and brain. The prognosis is grave. Surgical removal when possible is the method of treatment. Ref : Paniker's textbook of parasitology, 6th Ed Page 155.