Crusted scabies, characterized by hyperkeratosis and significant mite proliferation, is particularly prevalent in immunocompromised patients, such as those with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This report presents a case of J.A., a 35-year-old female with SLE on prednisone and hydroxychloroquine, who developed pruritic erythematous papules on her palms and fingers. Over several months, these progressed to crusted hyperkeratotic plaques with fissures on her face, scalp, neck, and extremities.

Clinical evaluation revealed positive ink burrow tests and mineral oil preparation showing scabies mites and eggs. Histopathology confirmed the presence of intracorneal mites and scybala. Treatment involved permethrin 5% lotion applied daily for 14 hours over 7 days, followed by keratolytic soap and petroleum jelly twice weekly. Due to ivermectin unavailability, albendazole 400 mg was administered daily for three doses. Significant improvement was noted within two weeks.

Crusted scabies carries a high mite burden up to 4000 mites/gram of skin compared to 20 in typical scabies. The immunocompromised state in SLE patients, often marked by lower CD4+ counts and increased CD8+ T cells, lead to epidermal hyperproliferation. Early recognition and prompt combination treatment with permethrin and albendazole are essential for effective management. This case underscores the need for vigilance in diagnosing crusted scabies in patients with altered immune responses.

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by infection with Echinococcus species. As the drug of first choice for treatment of echinococcosis, albendazole suffers from problems of large doses and remarkable adverse reactions in clinical therapy. Development of novel drugs against echinococcosis is of urgent need. Recently, great advances have been achieved in the research on traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of echinococcosis. This review summarizes the progress of researches on traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of echinococcosis, aiming to provide insights into development of anti-echinococcosis drugs.
Animals ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Echinococcosis/parasitology* ; Albendazole/therapeutic use* ; Zoonoses ; Echinococcus multilocularis

Albendazole is used as a typical antiparasitic agent worldwide. The side effects of albendazole may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, headache, alopecia, and increased liver enzymes. Mild elevation of the liver enzyme has been reported in more than 10% of cases, but drug induced liver injury was reported to be very rare. A 30-year-old woman visited the Dong-A University Hospital with anorexia, nausea, jaundice, and elevated liver enzyme. For diagnosis, other acute hepatitis etiologies were excluded, but the prophylactic administration of albendazole was verified. This paper introduces a case of drug-induced liver injury through the prophylactic administration of albendazole. Physicians should be aware of severe liver injury as one of the side effects of albendazole.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Albendazole ; Alopecia ; Anorexia ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury ; Female ; Headache ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Liver ; Nausea ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE: Hydatid cyst disease is caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus. It is rarely seen in the vertebral system, occurring at a rate of 0.2–1%. The aim of this study is to present 12 spinal hydatid cyst cases, and propose a new type of drainage of the cyst.METHODS: Twelve cases of spinal hydatid cysts, surgical operations, multiple operations, chronic recurrences, and spinal hydatic cyst excision methods are discussed in the context of the literature. Patients are operated between 2005 and 2016. All the patients are kept under routine follow up. Patient demographic data and clinicopathologic characteristics are examined.RESULTS: Six male and six female patients with a median age of 38.6 at the time of surgery were included in the study. Spinal cyst hydatid infection sites were one odontoid, one cervical, five thoracic, two lumbar, and three sacral. In all cases, surgery was performed, with the aim of total excision of the cyst, decompression of the spinal cord, and if necessary, stabilization of the spinal column. Mean follow up was 61.3 months (10–156). All the patients were prescribed Albendazole. Three patients had secondary hydatid cyst infection (one lung and two hepatic).CONCLUSION: The two-way drainage catheter placed inside a cyst provides post-operative chlorhexidine washing inside the cavity. Although a spinal hydatid cyst is a benign pathology and seen rarely, it is extremely difficult to achieve a real cure for patients with this disease. Treatment modalities should be aggressive and include total excision of cyst without rupture, decompression of spinal cord, flushing of the area with scolicidal drugs, and ensuring spinal stabilization. After the operation the patients should be kept under routine follow up. Radiological and clinical examinations are useful in spotting a recurrence.
Albendazole ; Catheters ; Chlorhexidine ; Decompression ; Drainage ; Echinococcosis ; Echinococcus granulosus ; Female ; Flushing ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Metrorrhagia ; Parasites ; Pathology ; Recurrence ; Rupture ; Spinal Cord ; Spine

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode that often causes chronic diarrhea and may develop severe complicated form of hyperinfection or disseminated infection in immunocompromised patients. Here, we report a case of recurrent strongyloidiasis presenting with pulmonary and meningeal involvement. A 55-year-old male diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 4 months ago was admitted due to chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss for 2–3 months. He had been treated with albendazole for chronic recurrent strongyloidiasis 13 years ago and again 2 years ago. He developed sepsis of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli on Days 3 and 7, respectively, and then meningitis of E. coli on Day 42. Strongyloidiasis was diagnosed by detection of abundant filariform larvae in sputum specimens on Day 15. He was treated for disseminated strongyloidiasis with albendazole and ivermectin for five weeks until clearance of larvae was confirmed in sputum and stool specimens. Laboratory diagnosis is important to guide appropriate treatment and to prevent chronic and recurrent strongyloidiasis.
Abdominal Pain ; Albendazole ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Diarrhea ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Ivermectin ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Larva ; Male ; Meningitis ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Sepsis ; Sputum ; Strongyloides stercoralis ; Strongyloidiasis ; Weight Loss

Albendazole is used as a typical antiparasitic agent worldwide. The side effects of albendazole may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, headache, alopecia, and increased liver enzymes. Mild elevation of the liver enzyme has been reported in more than 10% of cases, but drug induced liver injury was reported to be very rare. A 30-year-old woman visited the Dong-A University Hospital with anorexia, nausea, jaundice, and elevated liver enzyme. For diagnosis, other acute hepatitis etiologies were excluded, but the prophylactic administration of albendazole was verified. This paper introduces a case of drug-induced liver injury through the prophylactic administration of albendazole. Physicians should be aware of severe liver injury as one of the side effects of albendazole.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Albendazole ; Alopecia ; Anorexia ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury ; Female ; Headache ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Liver ; Nausea ; Vomiting

A complicated case of echinococcosis with multiple organ involvement is reported in a 53-year-old businessman who frequently traveled overseas, including China, Russia, and Kazakhstan from 2001 to 2007. The patient was first diagnosed with a large liver cyst during a screening abdomen ultrasonography in 2011, but he did not follow up on the lesion afterwards. Six years later, dizziness, dysarthria, and cough developed, and cystic lesions were found in the brain, liver and lungs. The clinical course was complicated when the patient went through multiple surgeries and inadequate treatment with a short duration of albendazole without a definite diagnosis. The patient visited our hospital for the first time in August 2018 due to worsening symptoms; he was finally diagnosed with echinococcosis using imaging and serologic criteria. He is now on prolonged albendazole treatment (400 mg twice a day) with gradual clinical and radiological improvement. A high index of suspicion is warranted to early diagnose echinococcosis in a patient with a travel history to endemic areas of echinococcosis.
Abdomen ; Albendazole ; Brain ; China ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Dysarthria ; Echinococcosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kazakhstan ; Korea ; Liver ; Lung ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Russia ; Ultrasonography

Albendazole (ADZ) and praziquantel (PZQT) have been used as anthelmintics for over 30 years. Worldwide, hundreds of millions tablets are administered to people and livestock every year. ADZ is poorly orally absorbed (< 5%), and its uptake is enhanced by high-fat meals, while PZQT is well absorbed (> 75%) and uptake is enhanced by carbohydrate-rich meals. Both ADZ and PZQT are safe, but not recommended for children < 2 years or for women in the first trimester of pregnancy. Serious adverse events occur following high dose and prolonged administration of these drugs for treatment of echinococcosis or neurocysticercosis, especially in patients with poor liver function. The adverse events may be induced by the drugs, or by the dead worms themselves. The Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management monitors drug-related adverse events in Korea, and its database included 256 probable or possible ADZ-associated events and 108 PZQT-associated events between 2006 and 2015. Such low incidence rates in Korea are due to the low single dose treatments of ADZ, and the short-term use of PZQT. The number of serious adverse events due to drug interaction induced by ADZ and PZQT were six and two, respectively. We conclude that ADZ and PZQT are generally safe drugs, but they must be used with caution in people with poor liver function or those being comedicated for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Albendazole* ; Anthelmintics ; Child ; Drug Interactions ; Echinococcosis ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Liver ; Livestock ; Meals ; Mebendazole ; Neurocysticercosis ; Praziquantel* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Risk Management ; Tablets

Albendazole (ADZ) and praziquantel (PZQT) have been used as anthelmintics for over 30 years. Worldwide, hundreds of millions tablets are administered to people and livestock every year. ADZ is poorly orally absorbed (< 5%), and its uptake is enhanced by high-fat meals, while PZQT is well absorbed (> 75%) and uptake is enhanced by carbohydrate-rich meals. Both ADZ and PZQT are safe, but not recommended for children < 2 years or for women in the first trimester of pregnancy. Serious adverse events occur following high dose and prolonged administration of these drugs for treatment of echinococcosis or neurocysticercosis, especially in patients with poor liver function. The adverse events may be induced by the drugs, or by the dead worms themselves. The Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management monitors drug-related adverse events in Korea, and its database included 256 probable or possible ADZ-associated events and 108 PZQT-associated events between 2006 and 2015. Such low incidence rates in Korea are due to the low single dose treatments of ADZ, and the short-term use of PZQT. The number of serious adverse events due to drug interaction induced by ADZ and PZQT were six and two, respectively. We conclude that ADZ and PZQT are generally safe drugs, but they must be used with caution in people with poor liver function or those being comedicated for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Albendazole* ; Anthelmintics ; Child ; Drug Interactions ; Echinococcosis ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Liver ; Livestock ; Meals ; Mebendazole ; Neurocysticercosis ; Praziquantel* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Risk Management ; Tablets

Is it necessary to intake anthelmintics every year in Korea? To answer to this question, the recent nation-wide egg positive rate of the intestinal nematodes in Korea was presented. The anthelminthics which are purchasable without physician's prescription were also introduced with their pharmacological reaction and indication. The egg positive rate of Ascaris lumbricoides in 2012 was 0.025%. Those of Trichuris trichiura and Enterobius vermicularis were 0.27% and 0.004%, respectively. In 2018, purchasable anthelmintics without physician's prescription in Korea were albendazole and flubendazole only. Those two anthelmintics were derivatives of benzimidazole that may cause some side effects such as hepatitis, increase of hepatic enzymes, granulocytopenia, or pancytopenia. These anthelmintics showed excellent effect to ascariasis; while, they are not sufficient to treat trichuriaiss. For treatment of enterobiasis, repeated taking 3 times with 3 weeks interval and mass treatment of the family of egg positive person are required. In conclusion, it is not necessary to take anthelmintics every year without specific diagnosis because of negligible egg positive rate of intestinal nematodes and complicated therapeutic module for enterobiasis. There was no specific symptom of ascariasis or trchuriasis if worm burden is not high. The common symptoms of enterobiasis were pain or itching at the perianal area, sleep difficulty, or diarrhea. If intestinal nematode infection is suspected, stool examination or perianal swab should be done before prescribing anthelmintics.
Agranulocytosis ; Albendazole ; Anthelmintics ; Ascariasis ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Enterobiasis ; Enterobius ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Korea ; Nematode Infections ; Ovum ; Pancytopenia ; Prescriptions ; Pruritus ; Trichuris