Severe adverse reaction induced by albendazole and praziquantel for cystic echinococcosis

Albendazole and praziquantel have been used to treat various parasitic infections for many years. Studies have confirmed the efficacy in the treatment of cystic echinococcosis (CE). We reported the case of a 45-year-old Chinese patient with pulmonary CE. He experienced diarrhea, stomachache, increase bilirubin, hair loss and acute fatal pancytopenia 10 days after albendazole and praziquantel treatment. We performed a literature review of severe adverse reaction caused by albendazole and praziquantel. It showed that severe adverse reactions such as bone marrow suppression caused by albendazole or praziquantel are rare, but patients with a course of treatment exceeding 10 days or with liver diseases are more likely to experience. Clinicians should pay attention to monitoring the patient’s gastrointestinal tract reaction and peripheral blood cells (PBCs). If the patient showed a progressive disease, the medication should be immediately stopped. Supportive treatments should be considered, such as the administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) against neutropenia or antibiotics to prevent infection.