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The Korean Journal of Parasitology Dec 2022To improve our understanding of the migration of sparganum in humans, we report a case of ocular sparganosis having the migratory episode from the muscle cone to the...
To improve our understanding of the migration of sparganum in humans, we report a case of ocular sparganosis having the migratory episode from the muscle cone to the subconjunctiva. A 34-year-old woman was admitted to the Hospital of Anhui Medical University (Hefei, China), in December 2019. She presented with conjunctival hemorrhage and recurrent pain in the left eye. A foreign body was found in the muscle cone of the eye. Two months later, a ribbon-like white material was found under the conjunctiva on slit-lamp examination. A long and slender, actively moving parasite was extracted by surgery. The extracted worm was approximately 8 cm long and 2 mm wide. The worm was whitish, wrinkled, ribbon shaped, and had a slightly enlarged scolex. The worm sample was morphologically identified as a plerocercoid larva (sparganum) of the Spirometra tapeworm. Her conjunctival blood suffusion and eye pain ceased within 1 week after operation. She has been in good health without any symptoms during the 2-year follow-up. A case of ocular sparganosis, in which larval worm migrated from the muscle cone to the subconjunctiva is reported from China.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Female; Adult; Sparganosis; Sparganum; Spirometra; Cestoda; Eye Diseases; Muscles; China; Larva
PubMed: 36588419
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2022.60.6.419 -
International Journal of Infectious... Apr 2022Sparganosis, especially cerebral sparganosis, is a rare comorbidity of HIV/AIDS. Owing to nonspecific symptoms of sparganosis, diagnosis and treatment of the disease are...
Sparganosis, especially cerebral sparganosis, is a rare comorbidity of HIV/AIDS. Owing to nonspecific symptoms of sparganosis, diagnosis and treatment of the disease are challenging with a very high rate of misdiagnosis. This case report summarizes the clinical data of a case of cerebral sparganosis in a patient with HIV/AIDS. It provides a reference for the treatment of HIV/AIDS coexisting with parasitic encephalopathy (cerebral sparganosis). Cerebral sparganosis has been reported worldwide, especially in Asian countries. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of cerebral sparganosis associated with HIV/AIDS.
Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Asia; Brain Diseases; Diagnostic Errors; Humans; Sparganosis
PubMed: 35151855
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.02.016 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Nov 2019Diphyllobothriosis is a reemerging zoonotic disease because of global trade and increased popularity of eating raw fish. We present molecular evidence of host switching...
Diphyllobothriosis is a reemerging zoonotic disease because of global trade and increased popularity of eating raw fish. We present molecular evidence of host switching of a human-infecting broad fish tapeworm, Dibothriocephalus latus, and use of salmonids as intermediate or paratenic hosts and thus a source of human infection in South America.
Topics: Animals; Diphyllobothriasis; Fish Diseases; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Salmonidae; South America; Zoonoses
PubMed: 31625847
DOI: 10.3201/eid2511.190792 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Apr 2021This study reports the first two clinical cases of spirometrosis caused by Spirometra sp. in cats in Korea. In these two cases, the cats vomited, and long proglottids of...
This study reports the first two clinical cases of spirometrosis caused by Spirometra sp. in cats in Korea. In these two cases, the cats vomited, and long proglottids of tapeworm were recovered. The sick cats presented with anorexia and lethargy. However, they unexpectedly showed no diarrhea, which is the main symptom of spirometrosis. Based on a fecal floatation test as well as morphological and molecular analyses, the parasite was diagnosed as Spirometra sp. The 2 cases were treated with praziquantel. This study suggests regular monitoring of health and deworming in companion animals, even when animals are well cared for, with regular preventive medication. Additionally, spirometrosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis in cases of gastrointestinal symptoms in Spirometra endemic areas.
Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Cat Diseases; Cats; Praziquantel; Republic of Korea; Sparganosis; Spirometra
PubMed: 33951771
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2021.59.2.153 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Dec 2019Paleoparasitological analysis was carried on 4 Merovingian skeletons, dated from the late-5th to the late-9th centuries, and recovered in the church of...
Paleoparasitological analysis was carried on 4 Merovingian skeletons, dated from the late-5th to the late-9th centuries, and recovered in the church of Saint-Martin-au-Val in Chartres (Center region, France). The corpses were buried in stone sarcophagi, which were still sealed at the time of excavation. Parasite marker extraction was conducted on sediment samples taken from the abdominal and pelvic regions, but also on samples taken from under the head and the feet as control samples. Microscopic observation revealed the presence of 3 gastrointestinal parasites, namely the roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), the whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) and the fish tapeworm (genus Diphyllobothrium). This analysis contributes to a better knowledge of the health status and the lifestyle of ancient medieval populations during the Merovingian period, for which very few paleoparasitological data were available, up until now. It demonstrates the presence of the fish tapeworm for the first time during this period.
Topics: Animals; Archaeology; Ascariasis; Ascaris lumbricoides; Cadaver; Diphyllobothriasis; Diphyllobothrium; France; Geologic Sediments; History, Ancient; Humans; Ovum; Paleopathology; Parasitology; Trichuriasis; Trichuris
PubMed: 31914513
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.6.613 -
Parasitology Research Jan 2021Diphyllobothriid tapeworms of the genus Spirometra are causative agents of sparganosis, food-borne zoonotic parasitic disease. They have been recorded in broad spectrum...
Diphyllobothriid tapeworms of the genus Spirometra are causative agents of sparganosis, food-borne zoonotic parasitic disease. They have been recorded in broad spectrum of hosts, including humans, in all continents except Antarctica. Spirometra tapeworms have been intensively studied in several Asian countries; however, they have been rather neglected in Europe. The aim of this study was to provide a pilot screening of Spirometra spp. in Latvia, where data on sparganosis are not available. Tapeworms morphologically identified as diphyllobothriid species were isolated from grey wolves Canis lupus and Eurasian lynxes Lynx lynx from Latvia during the hunting periods 2013-2019. The parasites were subjected to molecular genotyping using sequences of the partial large (LSU rDNA; 615 bp) and small (SSU rDNA; 720 bp) subunits of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene and complete (1566 bp) cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of the mitochondrial DNA (cox1 mtDNA). Analyses of both ribosomal subunits of 13 tapeworms revealed no intraspecific variation within the respective rDNA subunits. On the other hand, sequence analysis of mitochondrial cox1 revealed intraspecific polymorphism displayed by 12 cox1 haplotypes. Comparison of the current data with sequences of the corresponding DNA regions deposited in the GenBank revealed 99.3-99.5% (LSU rDNA), 99.2% (SSU rDNA) and 99.6-100% (cox1 mtDNA) identity of studied tapeworms with Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, which provided the first confirmation of this diphyllobothriid tapeworm in Latvia. Since S. erinaceieuropaei is probably prevalent in Latvian wildlife and may also occur in other potential host species, further studies are needed in order to acquire complex data on its geographic distribution and transmission in the natural environment of Latvia, as well as on the spectrum of its intermediate, paratenic, and definitive hosts.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Wild; Cyclooxygenase 1; DNA, Mitochondrial; DNA, Ribosomal; Female; Humans; Latvia; Lynx; Male; Molecular Typing; Phylogeny; Sparganosis; Spirometra; Wolves; Zoonoses
PubMed: 33174072
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06957-0 -
Parasitology Jun 2023and are diphyllobothriidean tapeworms autochthonous to Europe. Their larval stages (plerocercoids) may seriously alter health of their intermediate fish hosts () or...
An examination of nervous system revealed unexpected immunoreactivity of both secretory apparatus and excretory canals in plerocercoids of two broad tapeworms (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea).
and are diphyllobothriidean tapeworms autochthonous to Europe. Their larval stages (plerocercoids) may seriously alter health of their intermediate fish hosts () or cause intestinal diphyllobothriosis of the final human host (). Despite numerous data on the internal structure of broad tapeworms, many aspects of the morphology and physiology related to host–parasite co-existence remain unclear for these 2 species. The main objective of this work was to elucidate functional morphology of the frontal part (scolex) of plerocercoids, which is crucial for their establishment in fish tissues and for an early attachment in final hosts. The whole-mount specimens were labelled with different antibodies and examined by confocal microscope to capture their complex 3-dimensional microanatomy. Both species exhibited similar general pattern of immunofluorescent signal, although some differences were observed. In the nervous system, FMRF amide-like immunoreactivity (IR) occurred in the bi-lobed brain, 2 main nerve cords and surrounding nerve plexuses. Differences between the species were found in the structure of the brain commissures and the size of the sensilla. Synapsin IR examined in occurred mainly around FMRF amide-like IR brain lobes and main cords. The unexpected finding was an occurrence of FMRF amide-like IR in terminal reservoirs of secretory gland ducts and excretory canals, which has not been observed previously in any tapeworm species. This may indicate that secretory/excretory products, which play a key role in host–parasite relationships, are likely to contain FMRF amide-related peptide/s.
Topics: Animals; Humans; FMRFamide; Cestoda; Diphyllobothrium; Diphyllobothriasis; Nervous System; Fishes
PubMed: 36938799
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182023000306 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Dec 2021In this study, we intended to describe a human case of lumbosacral canal sparganosis in People's Republic of China (China). A 56-year-old man was admitted to Xiangya...
In this study, we intended to describe a human case of lumbosacral canal sparganosis in People's Republic of China (China). A 56-year-old man was admitted to Xiangya Hospital Central South University in Changsha, Hunan province, China after having an experience of perianal pain for a week. An enhancing mass, a tumor clinically suggested, was showed at the S1-S2 level of the lumbosacral spine by the examination of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadolinium contrast. The patient was received the laminectomy from S1 to S2, and an ivory-white living worm was detected in inferior margin of L5. In ELISA-test with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples, anti-sparganum antibodies were detected. He had a ingesting history of undercooked frog meat in his youth. By the present study, a human case of spinal sparganosis invaded in lumbosacral canal at the S1-S2 level was diagnosed in China. Although the surgical removal of larvae is known to be the best way of treatment for sparganosis, we administered the high-dosage of praziquantel, albendazole and dexamethasone to prevent the occurrence of another remain worms in this study.
Topics: Adolescent; Animals; China; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Praziquantel; Sparganosis; Sparganum
PubMed: 34974670
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2021.59.6.635 -
Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan) Feb 2021A 77-year-old woman presented at our hospital to undergo a close examination of an abnormal shadow which was observed on a chest radiograph. Contrast-enhanced computed...
A 77-year-old woman presented at our hospital to undergo a close examination of an abnormal shadow which was observed on a chest radiograph. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images in the lung window revealed a tortuous tunnel structure (tunnel sign), which was suspected to be the migration path of a parasite. Furthermore, CT images in the mediastinal window showed a linear filling defect from the right inferior pulmonary vein to the venous ostium in the left atrium (migrating sign), which was suspected to be a migrating parasite in the pulmonary vein. Tunnel and migrating signs on chest CT images were helpful in diagnosing pulmonary sparganosis.
Topics: Aged; Female; Heart Atria; Humans; Lung; Pulmonary Veins; Sparganosis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 32999230
DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.5304-20 -
The American Journal of Tropical... Nov 2019A 50-year-old Chinese woman with a history of weakness and paroxysmal seizures of the left limb presented to our hospital with a ten-day history of neck pain. Imaging...
A 50-year-old Chinese woman with a history of weakness and paroxysmal seizures of the left limb presented to our hospital with a ten-day history of neck pain. Imaging showed that there was a mass in the frontal lobe of her brain. On resection of the mass, a motile worm was identified. Morphological observation and molecular analysis of the mitochondrial COX1 and 28S rRNA genes of the worm extracted from the brain identified the causative agent as . Homology search of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified products from the case was conducted against gene fragments from local wild frogs. High homology was found between them, showing her likely exposure was frog consumption.
Topics: Animals; Brain Diseases; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Sparganosis; Spirometra
PubMed: 31436160
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0468