Clinical and Experimental Hepatology最新文献

{"title":"Fontan-associated liver disease in children following surgical correction of congenital heart defects.","authors":"Agata Zientarska, Kamila Ludwikowska, Leszek Szenborn","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161430","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161430","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Fontan procedure is a palliative surgical strategy used in the management of severe congenital heart defects, resulting in the creation of a single-ventricle circulation. In this physiological configuration, venous blood from the systemic circulation flows directly into the pulmonary arteries, bypassing the heart muscle. The operation is typically performed in early childhood and significantly improves long-term prognosis, enabling survival into the third decade of life and beyond. Over time, however, children and young adults develop complications related to the altered circulatory system, including chronic liver disease predominantly driven by passive hepatic congestion. This condition leads to progressive hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and, in a substantial proportion of patients, hepatocellular carcinoma. Consequently, lifelong interdisciplinary specialist care, including structured hepatological follow-up, is required from early childhood. Progressive liver disease in children with altered cardiovascular physiology poses distinct diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"107-113"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559692/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Estrogen receptor β activation attenuates portal hypertension and restores mesenteric vascular reactivity in cirrhotic rats <i>via</i> β-arrestin-2/RhoA/ROCK pathway modulation.","authors":"Long-Ci Sun, Lin-Hua Ji, Bin Zhang, Zhi-Yong Wu","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.162669","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.162669","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>This study investigated estrogen receptor (ER) subtype-specific effects on vascular hyporeactivity in cirrhotic portal hypertension (PHT), focusing on RhoA/ROCK signaling and β-arrestin-2.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>Cirrhosis and PHT were established by subcutaneous injection of CCl₄. Cirrhotic rats were administered three ER subtype selective agonists (PPT [ERα], DPN [ERβ], G1 [GPER]) or β-estradiol (E2) alone or in combination with selective antagonists (MPP [ERα], PHTPP [ERβ], G15 [GPER]). Portal pressure and mesenteric arteriolar reactivity to norepinephrine were assessed. Protein expression was analyzed by immunoblotting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In cirrhotic rats, portal pressure was significantly elevated, and the dose-response curve of mesenteric arterioles to norepinephrine (NE) exhibited a rightward shift with reduced amplitude. Compared to cirrhotic rats, the CCl₄ + E2 and CCl₄ + DPN groups exhibited significantly reduced portal pressure and a leftward shift in the dose-response curve. The portal pressure was higher and the curve exhibited a rightward shift with reduced amplitude in group CCl₄ + E2 + PHTPP, compare to group CCl₄ + E2. Both portal pressure and the dose-response curve in the CCl₄ + E2 + MPP and CCl₄ + E2 + G15 groups remained comparable to the CCl₄ + E2 group. Immunoblotting and densitometric analysis revealed that the intensity of β-arrestin-2 expression increased when cirrhosis and PHT developed. Compared with the CCl₄ group, the intensity in the CCl₄ + E2, CCl₄ + DPN, CCl₄ + E2 + MPP, and CCl₄ + E2 + G15 groups decreased, while that in the CCl₄ + PPT, CCl₄ + G1, and CCl₄ + E2 + PHTPP groups remained unchanged. No significant changes occurred in α1-AR, RhoA, ROCK-1, or moesin expression across groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>ERβ activation improves vascular hyporesponsiveness in cirrhosis by modulating β-arrestin-2, suggesting that ERβ may represent a novel therapeutic target for cirrhosis and PHT.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"171-176"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559698/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are there any non-invasive methods to predict liver fibrosis in children infected by hepatitis C virus rather than liver biopsy?","authors":"Salma Abdel Megeed Nagi, Asmaa Zaky Turky, Shaymaa Sabry Ahmed El Gammal, Muhammad Abdelbaeth Hassan Elfiky, Mohamed Zaeim Hafez, Mohamed E El-Refaey, Ashraf A E Emara, Ahmad Mohamed Awad, Mabrouk AboElenin, Hesham Abdelrahman Ahmed, Fatma Mahmoud Abdelraheem, Mohamad Ghazy Attia Hablas, Khaled Hassaan Awad, Ismael Akm El-Lebedy, Reda Rizk Ghoneem, Gamila Saed Khamis Abdelmoaty, Shireen Rashad Ghallab, Marwa Fekry Hassan, Zeinab Sabri Abouzouna","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161502","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161502","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>Since biopsy is an invasive procedure that is not suitable for routine monitoring, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in children can lead to progressive liver damage, liver fibrosis, and its sequela, cirrhosis, aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio (APRI) and the fibrosis score (FIB-4) are increasingly substituting biopsy in the evaluation of liver fibrosis. APRI and FIB-4 are promising non-invasive markers for the safe and effective assessment of liver fibrosis. Thus, this study aimed to ascertain whether APRI and FIB-4 scores may be used to identify the stage of liver fibrosis among children diagnosed with HCV.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>From July 2024 to August 2025, a total of 120 children diagnosed with HCV were enrolled in a retrospective study conducted at the Department of Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Nutrition, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University. The study population was divided into two groups: 22 patients were classified as the > F2 group, while 98 patients were assigned to the ≤ F2 group.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were no significant differences in hemoglobin (HB), white blood cells (WBCs), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), AST, International Normalized Ratio (INR), and alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase ratio (AAR) between the two groups under investigation. The ≤ F2 group showed significantly higher platelet (PLT), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in comparison to the > F2 group. More importantly, the > F2 group had considerably higher APRI, levels of serum albumin and FIB-4 than the ≤ F2 group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In patients with persistent HCV infection, both the FIB-4 and APRI scores demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy in predicting the phases of liver fibrosis. The FIB-4 proved to be a useful non-invasive method for fibrosis assessment because of its exceptional performance, demonstrating high specificity, sensitivity, and overall accuracy.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"136-148"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559696/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biological age acceleration and extrahepatic multimorbidity in U.S. adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a national cross-sectional study.","authors":"Chukwuemeka Ogbu, Zuhaib Khokhar, George Agbakoba, Stella Ogbu, Anas Bilal, Sara Ozumba, Chukwunonso Ezeani, Chinazor Umerah, Philip Okafor","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.162700","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.162700","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a multisystem condition in which extrahepatic comorbidities are major determinants of outcomes. Biological age (BA) acceleration captures an individual's pace of ageing relative to their chronological age. We examined the association between BA acceleration and extrahepatic multimorbidity in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults with MASLD.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1,559 adults with MASLD from the NHANES 2017-March 2020 cycle. MASLD was defined by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) ≥ 248 dB/m and the presence of at least one cardiometabolic criterion. Three BA acceleration measures were examined: KDM Acceleration, PhenoAge Acceleration, and Homeostatic Dysregulation (HD). Multimorbidity was defined using 17 extrahepatic chronic conditions and operationalized as: binary, ordinal, and a count of conditions. Survey-weighted regression models adjusted for confounders.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In adjusted models, a 1-SD increase in each BA measure was associated with a higher multimorbidity burden. PhenoAge Acceleration showed the strongest and most consistent associations: binary multimorbidity (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.07-1.62, <i>p</i> = 0.013), ordinal outcome (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.16-1.68, <i>p</i> < 0.001), and condition count (IRR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.11-1.29, <i>p</i> < 0.001). KDM Acceleration and HD showed smaller but statistically significant associations with the ordinal and count outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Among adults with MASLD, higher BA acceleration, especially PhenoAge Acceleration, is associated with a greater burden of extrahepatic multimorbidity. These findings position MASLD as a systemic disorder linked to accelerated physiological decline. BA measures may serve as valuable tools for identifying patients at high risk for comorbid disease accumulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"177-190"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559697/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent advances in the treatment of chronic liver diseases: focus on MASLD/MASH-related fibrosis.","authors":"Malwina Jędrysik, Beata Chełstowska, Krzysztof Tomasiewicz, Filip M Szymański","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161043","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161043","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) represent a growing global health challenge, driven by the increasing prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), its progressive inflammatory-fibrotic form (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis - MASH), as well as viral infections, alcoholic liver disease, and autoimmune and cholestatic disorders. Despite intensive research, effective pharmacological therapies capable of halting or reversing fibrosis progression - particularly in MASH - remain lacking. In recent years, incretin-based therapies, including glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and a new generation of metabolic multi-agonists, have gained breakthrough significance. These agents demonstrate potent metabolic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-steatotic effects, as well as potential antifibrotic activity, making them promising candidates for the treatment of various CLD phenotypes, including MASLD/MASH-associated fibrosis. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the mechanisms of action of these drugs, clinical trial outcomes, and their potential application as novel, targeted therapies in CLDs.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"121-135"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559701/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recommendations for treatment of viral hepatitis B in 2026 by the Polish Group of Experts for HBV.","authors":"Robert Flisiak, Jerzy Jaroszewicz, Piotr Małkowski, Małgorzata Pawłowska, Anna Piekarska, Maria Pokorska-Śpiewak, Krzysztof Simon, Krzysztof Tomasiewicz, Marta Wawrzynowicz-Syczewska, Dorota Zarębska-Michaluk","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161421","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161421","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Polish Group of Experts (PGE) for hepatitis B virus (HBV), established by the Polish Society of Epidemiologists and Infectious Disease Physicians and the Polish Association for the Study of the Liver, published its first HBV management recommendations in 2007. The current recommendations have been expanded to include the prevention of HBV infection in various populations, the prevention of HBV reactivation, principles for monitoring treatment efficacy and safety, including early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma, and principles for safe treatment discontinuation and interruption. Recommendations for management of acute hepatitis B and co-infections with HDV, HCV, and HIV are also included. Consensus among the ten PGE HBV members was achieved using the Delphi method (5 survey rounds resolving 36 key issues; 2 discussion rounds to clarify doubts).</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"79-98"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559702/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Treatment of hepatitis C in children and adolescents: our experience to date, current status, and prospects.","authors":"Maria Pokorska-Śpiewak, Ewa Talarek, Małgorzata Aniszewska, Anna Dobrzeniecka, Magdalena M Marczyńska","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.162780","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.162780","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this review was to summarize previous Polish experience in treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) in children with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and to describe the current situation and perspectives for future HCV treatment in the pediatric cohort. Children aged at least 3 years were only included in the national Polish therapeutic HCV program on April 1, 2025. However, since 2018, over 200 children and adolescents have been treated with DAAs in noncommercial and commercial trials and real-life programs. Through the current therapeutic program, only adult dosages and formulations of DAAs are available; thus, younger children may not be included. They may, however, receive pediatric formulations donated courtesy of pharmaceutical companies. Screening programs, at least for children at risk of HCV infection, should be implemented to identify candidates for DAA treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"114-120"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559694/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in acute decompensation of advanced chronic liver disease and acute-on-chronic liver failure: prognostic significance by etiology.","authors":"Daniela Žilinčanová, Svetlana Adamcova Selcanova, Daniel J Havaj, Karolína Šulejová, Natália Kubánek, Michaela Mihoková, Miroslav Vybostok, Michal Žilinčan, Roman Zahorec, Lubomír Skladaný, Peter Jarčuška","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.162710","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.162710","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a simple and widely available indicator of the degree and balance of the systemic inflammatory response in critically ill patients and has been shown to predict outcomes across multiple liver syndromes, including alcohol-associated hepatitis, advanced chronic liver disease/liver cirrhosis (ACLD), and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). While NLR retains prognostic power throughout the spectrum of ACLD phenotypes, its performance may vary according to the underlying etiology of ACLD. Since efforts are ongoing to identify accessible inflammatory markers for risk stratification in ACLF, NLR has gained increasing attention. The primary aim was to determine whether NLR values differ between alcoholic, viral, and other etiologies of acute decompensation (AD), with particular focus on alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Secondary aims were to assess the prognostic potential of NLR measured at admission (NLR-0) and on day 7 of hospital stay (NLR-7).</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>Using our RH7 registry of adult patients hospitalized with cirrhosis, we identified individuals with AD according to EF-CLIF criteria and stratified them into three etiological groups: alcoholic, viral, and \"other\". NLR-0 and NLR-7 values were compared across groups and related to 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 1109 patients in RH7 (as of May 18^th, 2020), 283 were hospitalized for AD. Of these, 207 (73.1%) had ALD, 22 (7.8%) viral hepatitis, and 54 (19.1%) other causes of cirrhosis. The mean age was 51.3 years and 41% were women. Elevated NLR-0 and NLR-7 values were found in 219 (77.4%) and 138 (74.2%) patients, respectively. Elevated NLR-0 values were most frequent in ALD (80.2%), compared to 77.8% in other etiologies and only 50% in viral cases (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Both NLR-0 and NLR-7 were significantly lower in survivors vs. non-survivors across all etiologies (<i>p</i> < 0.01). No significant changes were observed between NLR-0 and NLR-7.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In our Central European cohort, AD most frequently developed on the background of ALD, while viral etiology was rare. Elevated NLR was observed in the majority of patients admitted with AD and was consistently associated with increased short-, mid- and long-term mortality. Although NLR values were broadly comparable across etiologies, patients with viral AD had normal NLR significantly more often, suggesting possible differences in inflammatory phenotypes. These findings support the use of NLR as an additional prognostic marker, particularly in ALD, while highlighting the need for further studies in viral cohorts.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"160-170"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559695/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Managing HBV/HIV coinfection: from diagnostics to long-acting antiretroviral therapy.","authors":"Aleksandra Raczyńska, Martyna Lara, Anna Ruszecka, Marcin Dręczewski, Jerzy Jaroszewicz","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161433","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.161433","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection accelerates liver disease progression and increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Lifelong HBV-active antiretroviral therapy is the cornerstone of management, while occult HBV infection and isolated anti-HBc serology require careful monitoring, particularly when switching to long-acting regimens lacking HBV activity. Comprehensive diagnostics, including HBV DNA testing, fibrosis assessment, and evaluation of serological profiles, are essential for optimal care. Vaccination with next-generation HBV vaccines (ex. CpG adjuvant, multiantigenic), provides superior immunogenicity and should be prioritized in people living with HIV, especially in prior nonresponders. Regular HCC screening is recommended in individuals with advanced liver disease to enable early detection and intervention. This review summarizes current evidence on diagnostics, therapy, vaccination, monitoring, and cancer prevention, providing practical recommendations to improve outcomes in HIV/HBV coinfected populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"99-106"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559700/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148943813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incidence of echinococcosis in Poland 2015-2023 based on administrative health records maintained by the National Health Fund.","authors":"Aleksandra Popławska-Ferenc, Mariusz Panczyk, Marta Hreńczuk, Monika Dybicz, Andrzej Śliwczynski, Olga Tronina, Joanna Gotlib-Małkowska, Piotr Małkowski","doi":"10.5114/ceh.2026.159418","DOIUrl":"10.5114/ceh.2026.159418","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the larval stages of <i>Echinococcus</i> tapeworms. In Europe, the two species of greatest public health concern are <i>Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato</i> (s.l.) and <i>Echinococcus multilocularis</i>. Numerous observations of clinical cases in Poland, together with reports suggesting that official statistics underestimate infection rates, motivated an analysis of data from the National Health Fund (NHF), the national health payer in Poland.This study aimed to 1) determine the annual number of echinococcosis cases and their subtypes, 2) assess regional variation, 3) assess the age and sex distribution of patients.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>Data were obtained from NHF records and annual demographic statistics from Statistics Poland. Poisson regression was used to calculate incidence and trends. All analyses were performed in STATISTICA software, with the significance level of α = 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between 2015 and 2023 (excluding the COVID-19 pandemic), the incidence rate of echinococcosis in Poland exceeded 1 per 100,000 population. Infections due to <i>E. granulosus</i> were the most prevalent, accounting for 42-53% of cases, while <i>E. multilocularis</i> infections represented 16-19%. The remaining 35-39% of cases were classified as unspecified echinococcosis. The highest numbers of <i>E. granulosus</i> and <i>E. multilocularis</i> infections occurred in the northern and eastern regions (i.e., voivodships) of Poland: Zachodniopomorskie, Pomorskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, and Małopolskie. Women were slightly more often affected than men, with an increased prevalence after the age 50, peaking between ages 70 and 74.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The number of confirmed echinococcosis cases in Poland substantially exceeds previously reported epidemiological estimates. These findings indicate an urgent need for stronger public education, intensified preventive strategies, and improved diagnostic and therapeutic coordination.</p>","PeriodicalId":10281,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and Experimental Hepatology","volume":"12 2","pages":"149-159"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13559699/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}