Evaluation of Eosinophilic Cationic Protein as a Marker of Alveolar and Cystic Echinococcosis
Julian Frederic Hotz,
Klaus Kaczirek,
Stefan Stremitzer,
Fredrik Waneck,
Herbert Auer,
Thomas Perkmann,
Manuel Kussmann,
Philipp Karl Bauer,
Rui-Yang Chen,
Richard Kriz,
Heinz Burgmann,
Michael Ramharter,
Heimo Lagler
Affiliations
Julian Frederic Hotz
Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Klaus Kaczirek
Department of General Surgery, Medical University Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Stefan Stremitzer
Department of General Surgery, Medical University Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Fredrik Waneck
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Division of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Herbert Auer
Department of Medical Parasitology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Thomas Perkmann
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Manuel Kussmann
Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Philipp Karl Bauer
Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Rui-Yang Chen
Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Richard Kriz
Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Heinz Burgmann
Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Michael Ramharter
Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine & I, Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20359 Hamburg, Germany
Heimo Lagler
Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Echinococcosis is a neglected zoonotic disease and a worldwide public health problem caused by infection with the larval stages of taeniid cestodes of the genus Echinococcus. In vitro studies have demonstrated a protoscolecidal effect of eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), a granule protein of eosinophilic granulocytes, against E. granulosus. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate ECP as a biomarker in the treatment of alveolar echinococcosis (AE) and cystic echinococcosis (CE). Data were collected retrospectively from the Vienna Echinococcosis Cohort over 7 years until December 2020. Altogether, 32 patients (16 AE and 16 CE) were included. In the selected patients, serum ECP values were compared before and after the beginning of an operative and/or benzimidazole (BMZ) therapy. Mean ECP serum levels before intervention were significantly (p p p < 0.05) correlation of k = 0.56 with PET–CTI. Based on the significant decrease after operative and/or BMZ treatment and the correlation with clinical markers such as PET–CTI, it is recommended to investigate ECP more intensively as a marker of AE and CE in prospective studies with larger cohorts.
