A 69-year-old Korean man was admitted to emergency room with complaints of abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Laboratory tests revealed eosinophilia, anemia, hypoproteinemia, and hyponatremia. The gastric mucosa showed whitish mottled and slightly elevated lesions on the body angle of antrum. Microscopically, chronic gastritis with incomplete intestinal metaplasia was observed. Many adult worms, larvae, and eggs in cross sections were located in the crypts. Furthermore, the filariform larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis with a notched tail were detected through the culture.
Aged ; Albendazole/therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Humans ; Intestines/parasitology ; Korea ; Male ; Strongyloides stercoralis/*isolation & purification ; Strongyloidiasis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/parasitology

We report 2 cases of Thelazia rhodesii infection in the African buffaloes, Syncerus caffer, in Zambia. African buffalo calves were captured from the livestock and wildlife interface area of the Kafue basin in the dry season of August 2005 for the purpose to translocate to game ranches. At capture, calves (n=48) were examined for the presence of eye infections by gently manipulating the orbital membranes to check for eye-worms in the conjunctival sacs and corneal surfaces. Two (4.3%) were infected and the mean infection burden per infected eye was 5.3 worms (n=3). The mean length of the worms was 16.4 mm (95% CI; 14.7-18.2 mm) and the diameter 0.41 mm (95% CI; 0.38-0.45 mm). The surface cuticle was made of transverse striations which gave the worms a characteristic serrated appearance. Although the calves showed signs of kerato-conjunctivitis, the major pathological change observed was corneal opacity. The calves were kept in quarantine and were examined thrice at 30 days interval. At each interval, they were treated with 200 microg/kg ivermectin, and then translocated to game ranches. Given that the disease has been reported in cattle and Kafue lechwe (Kobus lechwe kafuensis) in the area, there is a need for a comprehensive study which aims at determining the disease dynamics and transmission patterns of thelaziasis between wildlife and livestock in the Kafue basin.
Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Buffaloes/*parasitology ; Eye Diseases/drug therapy/parasitology/*veterinary ; Spirurida Infections/drug therapy/parasitology/*veterinary ; Thelazioidea/*isolation & purification/physiology ; Zambia

A case of Fasciola gigantica-induced biliary obstruction and cholestasis is reported in Turkey. The patient was a 37- year-old woman, and suffered from icterus, ascites, and pain in her right upper abdominal region. A total of 7 living adult flukes were recovered during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). A single dose of triclabendazole was administered to treat possible remaining worms. She was living in a village of southeast of Anatolia region and had sheeps and cows. She had the history of eating lettuce, mallow, dill, and parsley without washing. This is the first case of fascioliasis which was treated via endoscopic biliary extraction during ERCP in Turkey.
Adult ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/administration & dosage ; Benzimidazoles/administration & dosage ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Fasciola/isolation & purification/*physiology ; Fascioliasis/drug therapy/*parasitology/radiography ; Female ; Humans ; Turkey

A case of Diphyllobothrium latum infection in a 49-year old man is described, and diphyllobothriasis latum in the Republic of Korea is briefly reviewed. An incomplete strobila of a tapeworm, 95 cm in length, without scolex and neck, was spontaneously discharged in the feces of a patient. On the basis of morphologic characteristics of the worm and eggs, the worm was identified as D. latum. The patient was successfully treated with a single dose (15 mg/kg) of praziquantel. The most probable source of infection was salmon flesh according to the past history of the patient. The first case of D. latum infection was documented in 1971, and this is the 43rd recorded case in the Republic of Korea. The 43 cases were briefly reviewed. The patients' main complaints were gastrointestinal troubles, such as mild abdominal pain, indigestion, and diarrhea, and discharge of tapeworm segments in the feces. The suspected infection sources included raw or improperly cooked flesh of fresh or brackish water fish, including the perch, mullet, salmon, and trout.
Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Diphyllobothriasis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/*parasitology ; Diphyllobothrium/anatomy & histology/*isolation & purification/pathogenicity ; Feces/parasitology ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Praziquantel/therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Echinostome eggs were detected in 22 (1.1%) of 2,074 people residing in riparian villages along the Mekong River in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR. In order to recover the adult flukes, 9 persons were treated with praziquantel and purged with magnesium salts. A total of 55 echinostome specimens (4 species) were recovered from the 9 persons. Echinostoma revolutum (8 specimens) was recovered from 3 persons, Artyfechinostomum malayanum (8 specimens) was from 2 persons, Echinochasmus japonicus (33 specimens) was from 7 persons, and Euparyphium sp. (6 specimens) was from 1 person. In Lao PDR, only human infections with E. japonicus were previously known. Therefore, the present study describes human infections with E. revolutum, A. malayanum, and Euparyphium sp. for the first time in Lao PDR. These results indicate that the surveyed villages of Khammouane Province, Lao PDR are low-grade endemic foci of echinostomiasis.
Adult ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/administration & dosage ; Echinostomatidae/*classification/*isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Laos ; Magnesium/administration & dosage ; Male ; Praziquantel/administration & dosage ; Trematode Infections/*parasitology

An overview of the epidemiological, biological, and clinical studies of Taenia and taeniasis in Taiwan for the past century is presented. The phenomenal observations that led to the discovery of Taenia asiatica as a new species, which differ from Taenia solium and Taenia saginata, are described. Parasitological surveys of the aborigines in Taiwan revealed a high prevalence of taeniasis, which might be due to the culture of eating raw liver of hunted wild boars. Chemotherapeutic deworming trials involving many patients with taeniasis were discussed. Praziquantel was found to be very effective, but sometimes complete worms could not be recovered from the feces after treatment, probably due to the dissolution of the proglottids. Atabrine, despite some side effects, can still be used, in properly controlled dosages, as the drug of choice for human T. asiatica infection if we need to recover the expelled worms for morphological examinations. Research results on the infection of T. asiatica eggs from Taiwan aborigines in experimental animals were also noted. Since the pig serve as the natural intermediate host of T. asiatica and the predilection site is the liver, a differential comparison of other parasitic pathogens that might cause apparently similar lesions is also presented.
Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Biomedical Research/history ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Taenia/*classification/*isolation & purification ; Taeniasis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/history ; Taiwan/epidemiology

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a hepatic disorder that resembles liver cancer, is a highly aggressive and lethal zoonotic infection caused by the larval stage of the fox tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis. E. multilocularis is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere; the disease-endemic area stretches from north America through Europe to central and east Asia, including northern parts of Japan, but it has not been reported in Korea. Herein, we represent a first case of AE in Korea. A 41-year-old woman was found to have a large liver mass on routine medical examination. The excised mass showed multinodular, necrotic, and spongiform appearance with small irregular pseudocystic spaces. Microscopically, the mass was composed of chronic granulomatous inflammation with extensive coagulation necrosis and parasite-like structure, which was revealed as parasitic vesicles and laminated layer delineated by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain. Clinical and histologic features were consistent with AE. After 8 years, a new liver mass and multiple metastatic pulmonary nodules were found and the recurred mass showed similar histologic features to the initial mass. She had never visited endemic areas of AE, and thus the exact infection route is unclear.
Adult ; Albendazole/*therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/*therapeutic use ; Echinococcosis, Hepatic/*diagnosis/drug therapy/surgery ; Echinococcus/isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Liver/*pathology/radiography ; Recurrence ; Republic of Korea ; Treatment Outcome ; Zoonoses

No abstract available.
Abdomen/pathology ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Bronchi/pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paragonimiasis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/parasitology ; Paragonimus westermani/isolation & purification ; Praziquantel/therapeutic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The growing popularity of eating raw fish has resulted in increase of certain human parasitic infection, such as diphyllobothriasis. Even though, upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy reveal no specific abnormality, if a patient complains of persistent abdominal pain, we should consider the possibility of parasitic infection. Careful history taking and stool examination can avoid further invasive study. We report a case of Diphyllobothrium latum infection in a patient with vague abdominal pain who showed normal finding on endoscopy.
Abdominal Pain/*diagnosis ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Diphyllobothriasis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/parasitology ; *Diphyllobothrium/isolation & purification ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/methods ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Praziquantel/therapeutic use

Sparganosis is a rare parasitic disease caused by migrating plerocercoid tapeworm larva of the genus Spirometra. Infection in humans is mainly caused by the ingestion of raw or inadequately cooked flesh of infected frogs, snakes, and chickens. Here, we report a rare case of a 45-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital with left lower chest pain. The chest radiograph and computed tomography (CT) scan revealed localized pleural effusion in the left lower lobe; further, peripheral blood eosinophilia and eosinophilic pleural effusion were present. Percutaneous catheter drainage was performed, which revealed long worm-shaped material that was identified as a sparganum by DNA sequencing. The patient showed clinical improvement after drainage of the sparganum. This study demonstrates the importance of considering parasitic diseases in the differential diagnosis of eosinophilic pleural effusion.
Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Eosinophilia/*etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleurisy/*etiology ; Praziquantel/therapeutic use ; Sparganosis/*complications/diagnosis ; Sparganum/*isolation & purification