RESUMEN
Intra-vesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is an important treatment modality of superficial bladder cancer. It is usually well tolerated, although some adverse reactions can occur. One possible yet rare complication is granulomatous hepatitis, that is thought to be caused either by BCG infection or a hypersensitivity reaction to the bacillus. We present a case of a 79-year-old apparently immunocompetent patient who developed granulomatous hepatitis a few months after BCG administration for bladder cancer immunotherapy. It is important to notice that acid-fast smears and cultures are often negative, and these should not exclude diagnosis nor delay treatment. Our case highlights the importance of clinical suspicion and prompt initiation of appropriate treatment.
RESUMEN
Fascioliasis is a trematode flatworm infection caused by Fasciola hepatica Humans are incidental hosts, and the infection is most often acquired by eating watercress grown in contaminated water in livestock-rearing areas. Triclabendazole is the only highly effective treatment, with a reported cure rate of >90%. Treatment failure may be due to several factors, though resistance is rare in humans and scarcely reported, most probably a reflection of the widespread use of anthelmintics in livestock. There are three papers describing cases of treatment failure, possibly due to resistance, in the Netherlands, Chile and Peru. We document for the first time one case of failure after multiple treatment courses with triclabendazole in Portugal, probably due to resistance to the anthelmintic. Our aim is to alert for the emergence of resistance across continents, with consequent predictable difficulties in the management of the disease and encourage more investigation in the field.