The Journal of the Japanese Respiratory Society ONLINE JOURNAL
ABSTRACT
Full Text of PDF (594k)
Article in Japanese
Case Report
Paragonimus westermani infection confirmed by the detection of paragonimus ova in the sputum with bilateral pleural effusion
Tsutomu Tanijiri, Seibun Yonezu, Yoshitaro Torii, Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Takashi Yokoi and Shirou Fukuhara
First Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University
ABSTRACT
A 28-year-old man had a 1-year history of hemoptysis. Consequently, he underwent a medical examination. A right pleural effusion, left hydropneumothorax, and multiple pulmonary nodular shadows were found on chest radiography. During a detailed interview, he reported that the hemoptysis began after eating "kejang" (a raw crab preparation) with a friend a year previously. His peripheral blood eosinophil count and serum IgE level were elevated. In addition, ova were detected in the sputum and bilateral pleural effusion. Morphological examination of the ova and immunoserological examination led to the diagnosis of Paragonimus westermani infection. The pleural effusion could be partially drained, and his symptoms and radiographic results showed improvement after treatment with Praziquantel administered at a dose of 75 mg/(kg·day) for 3 days. After one month, he and his friend ate seasoned raw crabs, Paragonimus was diagnosed in his friend. This case suggests that on encountering a paragonimus infection, everyone who ate food prepared in the same kitchen should be contacted because of possible infection with paragonimus.
KEYWORDS: Paragonimus westermani, Kejang, Parasite ova, Chronic pleuritis, Hemoptysis
RECEIVED: 2009.5.12
JJRS, 47(12): 1131-1134, 2009
