# A novel method for establishing a mouse model of hepatic echinococcosis: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver puncture modeling

## TL;DR

A new, less invasive method using ultrasound-guided liver puncture creates a more reliable mouse model for studying hepatic echinococcosis.

## Contribution

The novel ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver puncture method improves model consistency and survival rates compared to traditional surgery.

## Key findings

- Ultrasound-guided modeling achieved a 100% survival rate compared to 80% in the surgical group.
- Ultrasound-guided puncture resulted in fewer complications and more uniform lesion growth.
- Histopathology showed typical fibrosis and immune features in the ultrasound-guided group.

## Abstract

Research on hepatic echinococcosis relies on stable, reproducible animal models. Traditional open-laparotomy modeling presents issues such as significant trauma and poor consistency.

To compare the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver puncture inoculation versus traditional open-laparotomy in establishing a hepatic echinococcosis model in C57BL/6 mice.

Alveolar echinococcus (AE) cystic larvae or cystic echinococcus (CE) scolices were implanted into mouse livers using ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver puncture inoculation and traditional open surgery, respectively. Postoperative dynamic ultrasound monitoring, histopathology, and immunofluorescence staining were employed for systematic evaluation.

The survival rate in the ultrasound-guided group reached 100% (30/30), significantly higher than the 80% (24/30) in the surgical group, representing a difference of 20 percentage points (95% CI: 5.7% to 34.3%; p = 0.039). The complication rate was only 6.7% (2/30) in the ultrasound-guided group, compared to 20% (6/30) in the surgical group, with a difference of -13.3 percentage points (95% CI: -30.2% to 3.6%; p = 0.133). Ultrasound-guided modeling achieved a 100% success rate, with more uniform lesion growth and accelerated progression. Histopathology revealed more typical fibrosis and immune microenvironment characteristics.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy offers advantages including short procedure duration, minimal trauma, and high model consistency. It significantly enhances modeling efficiency while reducing surgical interference, providing a more reliable animal model platform for hepatic echinococcosis research.

In this study, we developed a safer and more efficient method utilizing ultrasound-guided percutaneous puncture to establish a hepatic echinococcosis model in C57BL/6 mouse livers. Compared to traditional open surgery, this approach requires shorter operative time and causes less trauma, significantly improving mouse survival rates while reducing the risk of complications. Parasite lesions implanted via this technique exhibit more uniform growth and more typical pathological features, better mimicking the fibrosis and immune microenvironment characteristics of human hepatic echinococcosis. This modeling strategy provides a stable and reliable animal experimental platform for investigating the pathogenesis of hepatic echinococcosis and developing therapeutic strategies, thereby advancing research on this infectious disease.