Breast Sparganosis Presenting with a Painless Breast Lump: Report of Two Cases
10.3347/kjp.2019.57.2.179
- Author:
Moon Young OH
1
;
Kyoung Eun KIM
;
Min Jung KIM
;
Ajung CHU
;
Jong Yoon LEE
;
Jeong Hwan PARK
;
Jongjin KIM
;
Ki Tae HWANG
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea.
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Spirometra;
breast;
sparganosis;
sparganum
- MeSH:
Abdomen;
Asian Continental Ancestry Group;
Beverages;
Breast;
Cestoda;
China;
Diagnosis;
Drinking;
Extremities;
Humans;
Japan;
Larva;
Snakes;
Sparganosis;
Sparganum;
Spirometra;
Subcutaneous Fat
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2019;57(2):179-184
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Sparganosis is a parasitic infestation caused by sparganum, a plerocercoid tapeworm larva of the genus Spirometra. Since the first case of human sparganosis reported in 1908, sparganosis has been a global disease, and is common in China, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries. Consumption of raw snakes, frogs, fish, or drinking contaminated beverages are sources of human infections. Human sparganosis usually manifests in subcutaneous fat in areas such as the abdomen, genitourinary tract, and limbs. Breast sparganosis cases are rare, representing less than 2% of total cases of human infections. Complete surgical extraction of the sparganum is the treatment of choice. Because of the rarity of the disease, clinical suspicion is vital to reach the diagnosis of breast sparganosis. Here we report 2 rare cases of breast sparganosis presenting with a painless breast lump, both treated with surgical excision and sparganum extraction.
