Alveolar hydatid disease

This is a very serious form of echinococcosis. The disease is transmitted to man through infected faeces of foxes and domestic cats and dogs. When infected, a person develops multiple small cysts that multiply rapidly. Usually occurring in the liver, the result is often fatal.

Alveolar hydatid disease is world-wide in occurrence, but most common in Europe, Russia, Japan, Alaska, Canada and the United States.