Treatment of Echinococcus granulosus hydatid disease with albendazole

The authors report their personal experience of the treatment of 50 patients with hydatid cysts of different localization with 10-12 mg Albendazole per kg per day for three months without intervals. During the treatment patients were submitted to careful clinical, biochemical, radiological and immunological controls. In all 105 hydatid cysts were observed, and the follow-up periods ranged from six to 42 months. The side effects were not severe. Four patients were considered healed, 31 improved, and 11 showed no change. Three patients relapsed after the end of the therapy, and were treated with a further cycle of Albendazole at the same dose rates, with good effect. The observed results are encouraging, and most of the patients did not require surgery.