First molecular confirmed patient of alveolar echinococcosis in India: Case report from a tertiary care hospital in North India.

Alveolar echinococcosis, caused by Echinococcus multilocularis, is rare in India. We present the first molecularly confirmed AE case from Kashmir, India who presented with a hepatic mass mimicking metastatic malignancy. Imaging revealed a large liver lesion with intrahepatic biliary obstruction. Cytological examination showed necrosis and laminated membranes without hooklets or brood capsules. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified E. multilocularis. The patient underwent albendazole therapy and right hepatectomy, but her condition deteriorated due to post-hepatectomy liver failure, leading to multiorgan dysfunction and death. This case highlights AE's diagnostic complexity in non-endemic regions and underscores the critical role of molecular diagnostics.