First report on the occurrence of human cases of alveolar echinococcosis in the northeast of Austria.

Since Posselt (1928) it is known, that Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative organism of alveolar echinococcosis, is prevalent in the western and southern provinces of Austria (Vorarlberg, The Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia, Styria). Recent distributional data confirmed the existence of these endemic areas in the mountain range of the Alps. Within the period from 1983 to 1988 human cases of obviously autochthonous alveolar echinococcosis were detected in the northeast of Austria, north of the river Danube, for the first time. This paper presents a clinical, diagnostic, therapeutical and epidemiological documentation of these three cases (2 females, 1 male), which represent the eastern most records of autochthonous E. multilocularis infections of the Central European distribution area of alveolar echinococcosis.