Alveolar echinococcosis of the liver (AEL) is a zoonosis that is distributed in cold regions of the northern hemisphere. The disease is mostly found in adults and rarely in pediatric patients because it tends to be slow growing.
Department of Digestive and General Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita-ku, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan. ytadashi324@yahoo.co.jp