Paragonimus Westermani Research Articles

Epilepsia Partialis Continua as Late Sequelae in Chronic Cerebral Paragonimiasis

Paragonimiasis is a parasitic infection that occurs after ingesting freshwater crayfish or crabs, and <i>Paragonimus westermani</i> (<i>P. westermani</i>) species are the most important in clinical practice. Cerebral paragonimiasis is one of the most important extra-pulmonary forms with severe outcomes and higher mortality compared to the pulmonary forms. Epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) is defined as a variant of focal motor status epilepticus in which frequent repetitive muscle jerks, usually arrhythmic, continue over 1 hour. Cerebral infections of <i>P. westermani</i> often cause simple epileptic seizures, but cases progressing to EPC are very rare. The authors report a case of confirming and treating a newly developed recurrent focal onset seizures in a patient with chronic cerebral paragonimiasis treated over 30 years ago.

Optimization of 18 S rRNA metabarcoding for the simultaneous diagnosis of intestinal parasites

Recent advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have created new opportunities for comprehensive screening of multiple parasite species. In this study, we cloned the 18 S rDNA V9 region of 11 species of intestinal parasites into plasmids. Equal amounts and concentrations of these 11 plasmids were pooled, and amplicon NGS targeting the 18 S rDNA V9 region was performed using the Illumina iSeq 100 platform. A total of 434,849 reads were identified, and all 11 parasite species were detected, although the number of output reads for each parasite varied. The read count ratio, in descending order, was as follows: Clonorchis sinensis, 17.2%; Entamoeba histolytica, 16.7%; Dibothriocephalus latus, 14.4%; Trichuris trichiura, 10.8%; Fasciola hepatica, 8.7%; Necator americanus, 8.5%; Paragonimus westermani, 8.5%; Taenia saginata, 7.1%; Giardia intestinalis, 5.0%; Ascaris lumbricoides, 1.7%; and Enterobius vermicularis, 0.9%. We found that the DNA secondary structures showed a negative association with the number of output reads. Additionally, variations in the amplicon PCR annealing temperature affected the relative abundance of output reads for each parasite. These findings can be applied to improve parasite detection methodologies and ultimately enhance efforts to control and prevent intestinal parasitic infections.

First report on the occurrence of <i>Microphallus indicus</i> in the <i>Sartoriana spinigera</i> freshwater crab in Bangladesh

Sartoriana spinigera is an edible freshwater crab species that plays an important role as an intermediate host of Microphallus indicus and Paragonimus westermani. P. westermani, the lung fluke, has been reported from northeastern India bordering Bangladesh and other parts of India. Nonetheless the existence of P. westermani in Bangladesh is yet to investigate. Therefore, the objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of lung flukes in Bangladesh. During the survey, the metacercariae of food-borne trematodes were investigated from a total of 261 fresh-water crabs collected from different locations in Bangladesh. Only the metacercariae of M. indicus were recovered. The overall prevalence of M. indicus metacercariae was 26% with intensity of 1–63 per crab. The highest prevalence was recorded from Naogaon district (83.33%), followed by Sirajgonj (57.5%), Rajshahi (40%), Brahmanbaria (16%), Narsingdi (15%), Faridpur (10%), and Sunamgonj (7%). None of the crabs from Rangpur, Thakurgoan, Jashore, Meherpur, Magura, Barguna, Sylhet, Kishorgonj, Cox’sBazar, and Bandarban were infected. Among the water bodies, the highest number of infected crabs was found in the rivers (56%) followed by haor, canal, and ditches (5%). To the best of our knowledge, this study reports M. indicus for the first time from Bangladesh.

Infection and biogeographical characteristics of Paragonimus westermani and P. skrjabini in humans and animal hosts in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Paragonimiasis, primarily caused by Paragonimus westermani and P. skrjabini in China, is a common food-borne parasitic zoonosis. However, the national distribution of Paragonimus spp. infection and its associated environmental determinants remain poorly understood. In this paper, we summarize the infection of P. westermani and P. skrjabini and describe key biogeographical characteristics of the endemic areas in China. Data on Paragonimus infection in humans and animal hosts were extracted from eight electronic databases, including CNKI, CWFD, Chongqing VIP, SinoMed, Medline, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence. All survey locations were georeferenced and plotted on China map, and scatter plots were used to illustrate the biogeographical characteristics of regions reporting Paragonimus infection. A total of 28,948 cases of human paragonimiasis have been documented, with 2,401 cases reported after 2010. Among the 11,443 cases with reported ages, 88.05% were children or adolescents. The pooled prevalence of P. skrjabini is 0.45% (95% CI: 0.27-0.66%) in snails, 31.10% (95% CI: 24.77-37.80%) in the second intermediate host, and 20.31% (95% CI: 9.69-33.38%) in animal reservoirs. For P. westermani, the pooled prevalence is 0.06% (95% CI: 0.01-0.13%) in snails, 52.07% (95% CI: 43.56-60.52%) in the second intermediate host, and 21.40% (95% CI: 7.82-38.99%) in animal reservoirs. Paragonimus are primarily distributed in regions with low altitude, high temperature, and high precipitation. In northeastern China, only P. westermani infections have been documented, while in more southern areas, infections of both P. westermani and P. skrjabini have been reported. Paragonimiasis remains prevalent in China, particularly among children and adolescents. Variations exist in the intermediate hosts and geographical distribution of P. westermani and P. skrjabini. Additionally, altitude, temperature, and precipitation may influence the distribution of Paragonimus.

Emerging Parasites among Apparently Healthy School Aged Children in Adamawa State, Nigeria

Aim: This study examines the prevalence of Fasciola hepatica, Paragonimus westermani and Schistosoma intercalatum among school aged children across the geopolitical zones in Adamawa state, Nigeria.
 Study Design: A cross sectional study designed was used and the study was conducted between October 2019 – March 2020. The study population include school age children studying between 7 – 25 years, studying in government schools across the geopolitical zones in Adamawa state.
 Methods: A total of 1500 primary and secondary school students from 15 local government areas were enrolled for this study, residual stool samples were collected from each participant and immediately preserved in 10% formalin before taking to the laboratory where it is processed using concentration techniques and observed under the microscope.
 Results: A total of 0.80% % of the children were found to be positive for at least one of the three parasites, with Fasciola hepatica being the most prevalent 0.47%, followed by Schistosoma intercalatum 0.27% and Paragonomus westermani 0.07%. High prevalence of these emerging parasites was observed in the southern senatorial zone than central and none was reported from northern zone.
 Conclusion: This study reported for the presence Paragonimus westermani and Schistosoma intercalatum for the first time in Adamawa state, highlighting the need for further and a robust study to unravel the epidemiology of these parasites as well as other helminths associated with human infection in the state. This is critical for the design of intervention strategies.

Are Freshwater Sources Safe for the Health of Humans and Domestic Animals in Terms of Deadly Trematodiases?

There are many types of lentic and lotic freshwater sources on earth, such as puddles, ponds, rivers, springs, dams, lakes, etc. and many of them are found near human settlements. But most of the people are not known and aware of these freshwater sources how safe and dangerous they can be. In fact, these water sources are potentially responsible for spreading various deadly trematodiases (trematode parasitic diseases) to both humans and domestic animals. The most common zoonotic or vector-borne dreaded trematodiases found in humans and domestic animals are fascioliasis, schistosomiasis, paragonimiasis, echinostomiasis, amphistomiasis, etc. These parasitic diseases are endemic in almost every country. But these diseases can occur in any geographical area only when different species of snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda) and crabs or crayfish (Crustaceans) are found in the freshwater bodies there. In fact, these aquatic invertebrates are the intermediate hosts of diverse pathogenic digenetic trematode parasites including Fasciola hepatica, Schistosoma mansoni, Paragonimus westermani, Ceylonocotyle scoliocoelium, etc. and complete their life cycle. These are also known as vectors or carriers and are responsible for the transmission or spread of various trematodiases in different geographical areas. Therefore, these diseases are also called vector- borne diseases. Apart from causing varying levels of morbidity and mortality in humans and animals, these diseases also cause tremendous economic losses to livestock owners. However, it is not necessary that all types of freshwater sources are beneficial, but from the point of view of trematodiases, the water sources in which different types of snail species are found can also be dangerous or unsafe for the health of humans and domestic animals. But most of the people are ignorant and unaware of how these parasitic diseases transmitted or spread to humans and domestic animals through various freshwater bodies located around them. The current review highlights how freshwater sources can be hazardous or dangerous to the health of humans and domestic animals in the context of diverse trematodiases and also focused on their prevention and control.

Recurrent Loculated Pleural Effusions Due to Pleuropulmonary Paragonimus westermani Infection.

Recurrent Loculated Pleural Effusions Due to Pleuropulmonary Paragonimus westermani Infection.

Detection of Human Paragonimiasis by ELISA Using Recombinant Paragonimus westermani Cysteine Protease 7.

Paragonimiasis is an important but neglected foodborne trematodiasis caused by Paragonimus mexicanus in Costa Rica. Immunological techniques for diagnosing this parasitosis in humans do not exist in Central America. The objective of the present study was to use recombinant Paragonimus westermani cysteine protease 7 to standardize an ELISA for the detection of antibodies against Paragonimus spp. Human sera positive for P. westermani, P. mexicanus, or Paragonimus spp., human sera infected with other helminths, as well as sera of healthy humans without parasitic infections, were analyzed. The sensitivity of the ELISA was 92.9%, and the specificity was 91.9%. This report is the first to describe the development of an ELISA for the diagnosis of Paragonimus spp. in Costa Rica and Central America. Using this ELISA in the health system of Costa Rica is recommended to detect infections.

Mediastinal cysts associated with Paragonimus westermani

•Paragonimiasis can rarely manifest as a mediastinal cystic mass.•Paragonimiasis can be transmitted to the mediastinum in the absence of pulmonary lesions.•Surgical resection can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of mediastinal paragonimiasis. A 48-year-old man presented to the thoracic surgery clinic with an incidentally detected mediastinal mass on chest radiography (Figure 1a). He was asymptomatic with no relevant medical history. Laboratory studies showed normal leukocyte and eosinophil counts. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed multilocular cystic lesions (6 × 4.5 cm) with abscess formation in the pericardial space (Figure 1b-d). The first impression was multilocular thymic cysts. The cysts were removed by uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (Figure 2). Histologic analysis revealed a multicystic lesion with central necrosis and peripheral granulomas with parasitic eggs in the thymus (Figure 3). He was diagnosed with Paragonimus westermani infection. P. westermani can be transmitted by eating infected raw freshwater crabs [[1]Harinasuta T Pungpak S Keystone JS. Trematode infections. Opisthorchiasis, clonorchiasis, fascioliasis, and paragonimiasis.Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1993; 7: 699-716https://doi.org/10.1016/S0891-5520(20)30550-XAbstract Full Text PDF PubMed Google Scholar], and it mainly presents as subpleural consolidations, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion [[2]Singh TS Mutum SS Razaque MA. Pulmonary paragonimiasis: clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of 39 cases in Manipur.Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1986; 80: 967-971https://doi.org/10.1016/0035-9203(86)90275-0Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (74) Google Scholar]. It is extremely rare that paragonimiasis presents as multilocular cysts in the mediastinum without pulmonary manifestation. He enjoyed eating raw crab marinated in soy sauce, and it is speculated that the larvae migrated through the diaphragm and made an abscess pocket in the anterior mediastinum. At the 15-month follow-up visit after surgical removal and medication of praziquantel, he showed no evidence of recurrence. When presented with unexplained mediastinal multilocular cysts, paragonimiasis can be included in the differential diagnosis.Figure 2Intraoperative observation of a cystic lesion of the anterior mediastinum.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)Figure 3Histologic findings of (a) central necrosis and peripheral granulomas (b) with parasitic eggs in the thymus.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Establishment and evaluation of a method for extracting exogenous short DNA fragments of Schistosoma japonicum from urine samples

To establish the method for extracting exogenous short DNA fragments of Schistosoma japonicum from urine samples, and to evaluate the efficiency of this method for extraction from urine samples treated with various methods. The S. japonicum SjG28 gene fragment was selected as a target sequence, and the 81 bp short DNA fragment was amplified on the target sequence using PCR assay. Following characterization using sequencing, the short DNA fragment was added into the urine samples as an exogenous short DNA fragment. Primers and probes were designed with SjG28 as a target gene, to establish the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. The sensitivity of this qPCR assay was evaluated with exogenous short DNA fragments that were diluted at a 1:10 dilution ratio as the DNA template, and the specificity of the qPCR assay was evaluated with the genomic DNA of S. mansoni, S. haematobium, Babesia, Ancyiostoma duodenaie, Cionorchis sinensis, and Paragonimus westermani as DNA templates. Exogenous short DNA fragments were added into artificial and healthy volunteers' urine samples, followed by pH adjustment, centrifugation and concentration, and the efficiency of extracting exogenous short DNA fragments from urine samples was compared with the QIAmp Viral RNA Mini Kit (Qiagen kit) and BIOG cfDNA easy kit (BIOG kit). An 81 bp small DNA fragment of S. japonicum was successfully prepared, and the lowest detection limit of the established qPCR assay was 100 copies/μL of the 81 bp small DNA fragment of S. japonicum. If the genomic DNA of S. japonicum, S. mansoni, S. haematobium, Babesia, A. duodenaie, C. sinensis, and P. westermani served as DNA templates, the qPCR assay only detected fluorescent signals with S. japonicum genomic DNA as the DNA template. If the pH values of artificial urine samples were adjusted to 5, 6, 7 and 8, the recovery rates were (49.12 ± 2.09)%, (84.52 ± 4.96)%, (89.38 ± 3.32)% and (87.82 ± 3.90)% for extracting the exogenous short DNA fragment of S. japonicum with the Qiagen kit, and were (2.30 ± 0.07)%, (8.11% ± 0.26)%, (13.35 ± 0.61)% and (20.82 ± 0.68)% with the BIOG kit, respectively (t = 38.702, 26.955, 39.042 and 29.571; all P values < 0.01). If the Qiagen kit was used for extracting the exogenous short DNA fragment from artificial urine samples, the lowest recovery rate was seen from urine samples with a pH value of 5 (all P values < 0.05), and there were no significant differences in the recovery rate from urine samples with pH values of 6, 7 and 8 (all P values > 0.05). Following centrifugation of artificial [(64.30 ± 1.00)% vs. (58.87 ± 0.26)%; t = 12.033, P < 0.05] and healthy volunteers' urine samples [(31 165 ± 1 017) copies/μL vs. (28 471 ± 818) copies/μL; t = 23.164, P < 0.05]. In addition, concentration of artificial urine samples with the 10 kDa Centrifugal Filter and concentration of healthy volunteers' urine samples with the 100 kDa Centrifugal Filter were both effective to increase the recovery of the Qiagen kit for extracting the exogenous short DNA fragment of S. japonicum (both P values < 0.01). A method for extracting exogenous short DNA fragments of S. japonicum from urine samples has been successfully established, and the Qiagen kit has a high extraction efficiency. Adjustment of urine pH to 6 to 8 and concentration of healthy volunteers' urine samples with the 100 kDa Centrifugal Filter are both effective to increase the efficiency of extracting exogenous short DNA fragments of S. japonicum.

Updates on parasite infection prevalence in the Joseon period based on parasitological studies of human coprolites isolated from archaeological sites in the cities of Euijeongbu, Gumi, and Wonju.

Parasite infection rates estimated by examining ancient coprolites can provide insights into parasitism in Joseon society. Using newly discovered Joseon period cases is essential to regularly update the parasite infection rates and reinforce the reliability of our previous estimations. In the present study, we investigated parasite infections in Joseon coprolites newly isolated from the cities of Euijeongbu, Gumi, and Wonju. We then updated the overall parasite infection rates of Joseon period samples (n= 30) as follows: 86.7% (26/30) for Trichuris trichiura, 56.7% (17/30) for Ascaris lumbricoides, 30.0% (9/30) for Clonorchis sinensis, and 30.0% (9/30) for Paragonimus westermani. The parasite infection rates in the Joseon society, estimated through coprolite examination, were very similar to those determined previously despite the addition of new cases to the existing data pool.

Clinical characteristics and pathogen spectra of parasitic infections in a tertiary hospital of Shanghai: A 13-year retrospective study.

BackgroundThis study performed a follow-up investigation of parasitic infections and the evolution of the infection spectra in Shanghai and its surrounding areas in Eastern China. The current study was conducted in the Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, a tertiary hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.MethodsThis retrospective investigation reviewed a total of 412 parasitic infections in patients admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital from January 1, 2010 to July 31, 2022. Detailed information for these patients was retrieved from the Electronic Medical Record System. Analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 5.0 and SPSS Statistics 26.ResultsOverall, 17 species of parasites were detected from the 412 admissions. Over the 13 years, the number of patients peaked in 2021 and food-born parasites (FBPs) were the primary species. During the most recent 5 years, Clonorchis sinensis, replacing Paragonimus westermani, has become the primary parasite detected among the patients, consistent with the observation that eating uncooked fish has turned into the most common route of transmission. Paragonimus westermani infections declined with age, but Cysticercus increased with age. The periods from the onset of symptoms to definite diagnosis for some patients infected with Sparganum mansoni, Paragonimus westermani, and Cysticercus were more than 6 months. Interestingly, eosinophilia was only detected in 51.83% of parasite-infected patients. In addition, superinfections of parasites were common in our study.ConclusionOur study demonstrates the transitional change in the prevalence of parasitic infection over the latest 13 years in a single center in Eastern China. The incidence of parasitic infections peaked in 2021, and the dominant parasitic species switched from a soil origin to foodborne. The direction for the diagnosis and prevention of parasitic infection among different age groups should alter according to age. It is difficult to diagnose parasitic infections and superinfections that occur in some patients. Thus, more sensitive and efficient detection methods should be developed. In addition, although eosinophilia and elevated IgE are still reliable indicators for initiating screening of parasitic infection, the development of novel parasitic diagnostic kits is still in urgent need for occult infection.

An Unusual Cause of Gastric Variceal Bleeding

Question: A 15-year-old boy presenting with repeated melena and anemic symptoms for 2 weeks was transferred to our center. He had no history of alcohol, drug, or herb abuse; he also had no previous history of diseases except a Paragonimus westermani infection six years before from eating raw crabs, which had been cured with praziquantel and rechecked to be negative for several times. On admission, he had a heart rate of 103 beats/min, respiratory rate of 25 breaths/min, and normal blood pressure and body temperature.

Serological evaluation of the schistosome’s secretory enzyme phytochelatin synthase and phosphoglycerate mutase for the detection of human Schistosoma japonicum infection

Secretory enzymes from Schistosoma japonicum are promising candidate antigens in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. Our previous studies have proven that thioredoxin peroxidase-1 (SjTPx-1) is useful for the detection of this parasitic disease in humans, water buffaloes, and dogs. In this study, we evaluated two more secretory enzymes namely phosphoglycerate mutase (SjPGM) and phytochelatin synthase (SjPCS) with SjTPx-1 as the reference antigen. SjPGM was shown to have good diagnostic potentials in animal samples in previous studies, whereas SjPCS was chosen because of its absence in the mammalian hosts. Serum samples including 96 endemic negative controls, 107 schistosomiasis japonica positive samples, and 31 samples positive for other parasitic trematode infections (Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, Paragonimus westermani) were tested with the antigens using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results showed that SjPCS detected more positive samples and had fewer cross-reactions than SjPGM. With 85.05% sensitivity and 93.55% specificity, SjPCS can therefore be used in the detection of human schistosomiasis.

Ectopic peritoneal paragonimiasis mimicking tuberculous peritonitis: A care report

BACKGROUNDThe most common site of paragonimiasis is in the lungs. The migratory route passes through the duodenal wall, peritoneum, and diaphragm to the lungs; thus, the thoracic cavity and central nervous system, as well as the liver, intestine, and abdominal cavity may be involved. Here, we present a case of intraperitoneal paragonimiasis without other organ involvement, mimicking tuberculous peritonitis.CASE SUMMARYA 57-year-old man presented with recurrent abdominal pain for 4 wk. Physical examination revealed tenderness in the right lower quadrant. Laboratory findings showed complete blood counts within the normal range without eosinophilia. Multiple reactive lymph nodes and diffuse peritoneal infiltration were noted on abdominal computed tomography (CT). There were no abnormalities on chest CT or colonoscopy. Intraoperative findings of diagnostic laparoscopy for the differential diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis included multiple small whitish nodules and an abscess in the peritoneum. Pathological reports confirmed the presence of numerous eggs of Paragonimus westermani (P. westermani). A postoperative serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed P. westermani positivity. Persistent and repetitive history-taking led him to retrospectively recall the consumption of freshwater crab. After 3 d of treatment with praziquantel (1800 mg; 25 mg/kg), he recovered from all symptoms.CONCLUSIONIn patients who require diagnostic laparoscopy for the differential diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis, repetitive history-taking and preoperative serologic antibody tests against Paragonimus may be helpful in diagnosing intraperitoneal paragonimiasis without other organ involvement.

General overview of the current status of human foodborne trematodiasis.

Foodborne trematodes (FBT) of public health significance include liver flukes (Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, O. felineus, Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica), lung flukes (Paragonimus westermani and several other Paragonimus spp.) and intestinal flukes, which include heterophyids (Metagonimus yokogawai, Heterophyes nocens and Haplorchis taichui), echinostomes (Echinostoma revolutum, Isthmiophora hortensis, Echinochasmus japonicus and Artyfechinostomum malayanum) and miscellaneous species, including Fasciolopsis buski and Gymnophalloides seoi. These trematode infections are distributed worldwide but occur most commonly in Asia. The global burden of FBT diseases has been estimated at about 80 million, however, this seems to be a considerable underestimate. Their life cycle involves a molluscan first intermediate host, and a second intermediate host, including freshwater fish, crustaceans, aquatic vegetables and freshwater or brackish water gastropods and bivalves. The mode of human infection is the consumption of the second intermediate host under raw or improperly cooked conditions. The major pathogenesis of C. sinensis and Opisthorchis spp. infection includes inflammation of the bile duct which leads to cholangitis and cholecystitis, and in a substantial number of patients, serious complications, such as liver cirrhosis and cholangiocarcinoma, may develop. In lung fluke infections, cough, bloody sputum and bronchiectasis are the most common clinical manifestations. However, lung flukes often migrate to extrapulmonary sites, including the brain, spinal cord, skin, subcutaneous tissues and abdominal organs. Intestinal flukes can induce inflammation in the intestinal mucosa, and they may at times undergo extraintestinal migration, in particular, in immunocompromised patients. In order to control FBT infections, eating foods after proper cooking is strongly recommended.

Molecular identification of the trematode P. ichunensis stat. n. from lungs of siberian tigers justified reappraisal of Paragonimus westermani species complex.

Flukes from the genus Paragonimus Braun, 1899 are medically important foodborne trematodes predominantly occurring throughout Asian countries. Providing molecular genetic characteristics based on ITS2 and partial 28S rDNA of the paragonimids from the Russian Far East, Northeast, South, and Southeast Asian countries, we performed a partial reappraisal of Paragonimus westermani species complex. Members of this complex are genetically distinct worms with different divergence times and explosive expansion during Miocene-Pliocene epochs. We confirm the taxonomic status as valid species for P. ichunensis stat. n. (from the Russian Far East and Northern China), and P. filipinus (from the Philippines), which were previously considered subspecies of P. westermani, and reinstated the species name P. pulmonalis (from Japan). We suggest considering the worms from South Korea the Korean variety of P. ichunensis, because Korean specimens are sister and genetically closest to P. ichunensis from Northeast China and Primorsky region of Russia. Worms from South (India (type 2), Sri Lanka), Southeast (Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand (types 1 and 2)) and East Asia (Taiwan) were left in the paragonimid systematics as Paragonimus sp. We propose to consider Indian worms of type 1 as true P. westermani, but in further revisions, due to the lack of holotype and unknown exact type locality, new type specimens (neotype) should be established.

Paragonimus westermani westermani

This datasheet on Paragonimus westermani westermani covers Identity, Distribution, Vectors &amp; Intermediate Hosts.

Paragonimus westermani as a cause of Löeffler's syndrome.

In 1936, Löeffler first recognized the association between a distinctive form of severe heart failure and marked eosinophilia. Most cases are caused by either parasitic infections or drugs; however, no cause has been identified in one-third of the patients [1]. This report presents a rare case of Löeffler’s syndrome caused by the parasite Paragonimus westermani.

Co-infection Paragonimiasis-pulmonary Tuberculosis Discovered from a Man in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire: Case Report

Introduction: Paragonimiasis is a very uncommon zoonosis in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a trematodial disease contracted by eating fresh or undercooked crustaceans harboring a parasite of the genus Paragonimus. About fifteen species of Paragonimus are pathogenic to humans. In Africa, three species are frequently encountered: Paragonimus africanus, Paragonimus uterobilatéralis, and Paragonimus westermani. Clinically, it has similarities with pulmonary tuberculosis so that confusion is quickly made. Case Report: We report here a case of paragonimiasis discovered incidentally in a security guard man, 26 years old, originated from Côte d’Ivoire, who consulted in 2019 to the Medical Teaching Hospital of Cocody, for hemoptysis under a chronical mode. Results: After examination, the disease of paragonimiasis was diagnosed by positive direct smear. Otherwise, patient was positive to TB after a molecular test. An anti-tuberculosis cure was proposed, and a treatment with praziquantel 600 mg (2 tabs x3 / d for 4 days) allowed us to obtain biological cure without major side effects for paragonimiasis. Conclusion: The diagnostic issues of paragonimiasis constitute a great challenge for health systems already weakened by the instability due to covid-19 pandemic. The insufficient resources allocated to the health sector showing the lack of integration of the diagnostics of paragonimiasis to pulmonary tuberculosis program are crucial. The strengthening of human resources, as well as the improvement of the technical platform of reference laboratories in regions, are really needed.