Sparganosis in Korea.

Abstract

Summary Three cases of sparganosis in Koreans were encountered. The larvae varied from 23 to 30 cm. in length and were removed by surgery from the musculature of the abdominal or lower chest area. The histopathology of the tissues in contact with the worms is described, and the presence of Charcot-Leyden crystals noted in one case in the masses of degenerating eosinophil leucocytes which preponderated in the inflammatory response. The pathogenesis of the tissue lesion appears to be due to a direct toxic effect of substances which probably diffuse through the cuticle of the sparganum, as well as a possible sensitization to some of these products. All patients gave a history of eating raw snake. A specimen of Dinodon rufozonatum caught in the area was found to be heavily parasitized with plerocercoids. When guinea pigs were infected with these by inserting the larvae subcutaneously, the worms migrated and grew at a rapid rate. It is probable that human sparganosis is acquired in Korea by the consumption of raw snake, which is a fairly common practice in this area.