Echinococcosis liver disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus:

A. Is not a neoplasm

B. Is endemic to parts of Europe, but not the United States.

C. Is usually curable by resection.

DISCUSSION: The parasitic infection is fairly common in certain parts of Europe but very rare in the United States. Resection without peritoneal soilage is the treatment of choice. The E. multilocularis form, which is endemic to parts of the United States, is more likely to be fatal because it is rarely resectable. This form is more likely to resemble a malignancy than E. granulosus, although the natural course of the disease usually spans many years.