Unmasking the mimic: vertebral alveolar echinococcosis diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing
Kruis T, Wassermann M, Graf B, Lührig K, Menzel P, Schwarzer R, Ziegler J, Isner C
Infection · 2025-12
Abstract
A Siberian woman in her forties presented to a public hospital in northeastern Germany with chronic back pain and a paravertebral mass, initially misdiagnosed as spinal tuberculosis. Repeated biopsies and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) ultimately confirmed vertebral alveolar echinococcosis. Haplotype analysis revealed a novel Asian-cluster variant, supporting the presumed origin of infection.
MeSH terms
- Humans
- Tuberculosis, Spinal
- Echinococcosis
- Diagnosis, Differential
- Middle Aged
- Germany
- Female
- Metagenomics
- High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing