A severe case of human hepatic fascioliasis mimicking an oncological disease in Azerbaijan

Paper Details

Research Paper 17/01/2026
Views (474)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

A severe case of human hepatic fascioliasis mimicking an oncological disease in Azerbaijan

Aygun A. Azizova*
Int. J. Biosci. 28(1), 155-160, January 2026.
Copyright Statement: Copyright 2026; The Author(s).
License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

We report a severe case of human hepatic fascioliasis in a 60-year-old woman from Azerbaijan who had been misdiagnosed with liver cancer and treated oncologically for approximately two years without clinical improvement. The patient presented with complaints of pain in the right hypochondrium, intermittent fever, general weakness, anorexia, weight loss, and insomnia. Laboratory evaluation revealed marked eosinophilia. Imaging studies demonstrated heterogeneous hepatic lesions compatible with inflammatory and necrotic changes. Coprological examination confirmed the presence of Fasciola eggs. To our knowledge, this represents one of the first clinically documented cases of human hepatic fascioliasis reported from Azerbaijan. The patient was treated with triclabendazole administered in two courses of three days each, separated by a 10-day interval, along with supportive hepatoprotective therapy and B complex vitamins. Following treatment, clinical symptoms resolved completely, eosinophil levels normalized, and follow up stool examinations were negative. Two months after therapy, laboratory parameters approached normal physiological values. This case emphasizes the importance of including hepatic fascioliasis in the differential diagnosis of liver masses, particularly in patients with eosinophilia and relevant epidemiological exposure. Early recognition prevents unnecessary invasive procedures and prolonged oncological treatment

Ashrafi K, Bargues MD, O’Neill S, Mas-Coma S. 2014. Fascioliasis: a worldwide parasitic disease of importance in travel medicine. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 12, 636–649.

Azizova AA, Mammadova GR, Uslu U. 2025. Taxonomic study and epizootological characteristics of associative invasion pathogens (helminths and primary blood parasites) in sheep in the Guba-Khachmaz economic region of Azerbaijan. Bulletin of Science and Practice 11(8), 374–380.

Azizova AA. 2022. The associative invasions – the helminths, primary intestinal parasites, piroplasmids of small ruminants in Azerbaijan. 7th International New York Conference on Evolving Trends in Interdisciplinary Research & Practices, Manhattan, New York City, 1–3 October, 97–103.

Azizova AA. 2024. Dynamics of sheep invasions with helminths depending on age and landscape in the Mountain-Shirvan economic region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. International Scientific and Practical Conference “Current problems of modern surgery, their solutions and tasks for the future”, Samarkand 21(3), 1077–1085.

Bardsley M. 2021. Fasciolosis in cattle. Veterinary Practice. Retrieved 27 April 2022.

Caravedo MA, Cabada MM. 2020. Human fascioliasis: current epidemiological status and strategies for diagnosis, treatment, and control. Research and Reports in Tropical Medicine 11, 149–158.

Fürst T, Keiser J, Utzinger J. 2012. Global burden of human food-borne trematodiasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 12(3), 210–221.

Haseeb AN, El-Shazly AM, Arafa MAS, Morsy ATA. 2002. A review on fascioliasis in Egypt. Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology 32(1), 317–354.

Infantes LR, Yataco GAP, Ortiz-Martinez Y, Mayer T, Terashima A, Franco-Paredes C, Gonzalez-Diaz E, Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Bonilla-Aldana DK, Barahona LV, Grimshaw AA, Chastain DB, Sillau S, Marcos LA, Henao-Martinez AF. 2023. The global prevalence of human fascioliasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease 10, 1–15.

Kabaalioglu A, Cubuk M, Senol U, Cevikol C, Karaali K, Apaydin A, Sindel T, Lüleci E. 2000. Fascioliasis: US, CT and MRI findings with new observations. Abdominal Imaging 25(4), 400–404.

Keiser J, Utzinger J. 2009. Food-borne trematodiases. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 22(3), 466–483.

Khademvatan S, Majidiani H, Khalkhali H, Taghipour A, Asadi N, Yousefi E. 2019. Prevalence of fasciolosis in livestock and humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis in Iran. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 65, 116–123. DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2019.05.001

Lan Z, Zhang XH, Xing JL, Zhang AU, Wang HR, Zhang XC, Gao JF, Wang CR. 2024. Global prevalence of liver disease in humans and domestic animals caused by Fasciola: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Global Health 14, 04223.

Lim JH. 1990. Fasciola hepatica infection of the liver. American Journal of Roentgenology 154, 273–277.

Mas-Coma S, Bargues MD, Valero MA. 2005. Fascioliasis and other plant-borne trematode zoonoses. International Journal for Parasitology 35, 1255–1278.

Mehmood K, Zhang H, Sabir AJ, Abbas RZ, Ijaz M, Durrani AZ, Saleem MH, Rehman MU, İqbal MK, Wang Y, Ahmad HI, Abbas T, Hussain R, Ghori MT, Ali S, Khan AU, Li J. 2017. A review on epidemiology, global prevalence and economic losses of fasciolosis in ruminants. Microbial Pathogenesis 109, 253–262.

Rondelaud D, Vignoles P, Dreyfuss G. 2020. Fasciola hepatica: distribution of cercariae shed by the snail Galba truncatula. Parasite 27, 17.

World Health Organization. 2020. Fascioliasis. WHO fact sheets.

Related Articles

In vitro assessment of the anticancer activity of quinaldic acid against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7)

N. Medhavi, S. M. Sivasankaran, K. Selvakumar, K. Harish, S. Manoharan*, Int. J. Biosci. 29(3), 1-10, September 2026.

In silico molecular docking analysis of quinaldic acid against cancer related targets

N. Medhavi, K. Harish, S. M. Sivasankaran, K. Selvakumar, B. Vidhyambigai, S. Manoharan*, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 129-139, August 2026.

First records of Macrogyrodactylus clarii and six species of Quadriacanthus (Monogenea) infecting Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) across four localities in Senegal

Arfang Diamanka*, Abdou Toure, Sikhou Drame, Cheikh Diop, Ngor Faye, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 118-128, August 2026.

Comparative predictive performance of anthropometric indices and associated risk factors for obesity among Beninese adults: A cross-sectional study

Ganlaky D. Boris, Sègbo Julien A. Gaetan*, Dossou David, Sossa J. Charles, Akpovi D. Casimir, Agbangla Clement, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 105-117, August 2026.

Proximate, mineral and vitamin composition of Uvaria chamae P. Beauv. (Annonaceae) seed flour from Korhogo, northern Côte d’Ivoire

Nyamien Yves Bleouh Jean*, Anon Attoh Hyacinthe, Diallo Koffi, Biego Godi Henri, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 97-104, August 2026.

Acute toxicity of seeds from Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst ex A. Rich.) Harms

Wilfried Zanmenou*, Razack Osseni, Mahouglo Barnabé Houessou, Chimène Agrippine Rodogune Yelouassi, Comlan Kintomagnimessè Célestin Tchekessi, Philippe Sessou, Anatole Laleye, Pierre Dossou-Yovo, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 89-96, August 2026.

Stabilization of cashew apple juice with chitosan: clarification and microbiological quality

Kokora Aya Philomène*, Coulibaly Adama, Cissé Mohamed, Coulibaly Bintou, Konan N’guessan Ysidor, Godi Henri Marius Biego, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 76-88, August 2026.

Implementation and evaluation of limited face to face classes: basis for adoption of health and safety manual

Christian Jude B. Calunsag*, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 65-75, August 2026.