Five Cases Of Diphyllobothrium Latum Infection

Abstract

Five cases of Diphyllobothrium latum infection were proved by collection of worms after treatment with bithionol, niclosamide or praziquantel, during 1975~1983. The patients were 4 males and one female aged 10-64 years residing in Seoul or Wando-gun, Chollanam-do, Korea. All of them remembered the history of eating several kinds of raw marine fish and 2 persons said they ate the raw flesh of perch, Lateolabrax japonicus. Three among them experienced abdominal pain, 2 natural discharge of a chain of segments, but none revealed any sign of anemia. The average egg size in stool varied 59-67 x 41~48 micrometer according to cases. The eggs were characterized by ovoid to elliptical shape, terminal operculum, and distinct abopercular protuberance. One naturally discharged segment (30 cm) and 4 complete strobilae (320~680 cm) with scolices obtained after treatments were examined. The morphological characters of proglottids such as rosette-form uterus with 3~6 loops, vaginal pore included in the cirrus sac, separated seminal vesicle from cirrus sac etc. were all compatible with D. latum. These are the 7th~11th cases of D. latum infection proved by worms in Korea.