Paragonimiasis
Infection with the trematode (parasitic worm) Paragonimus. More than 10 species of trematodes (flukes) of the genus Paragonimus infect humans, the most common being Paragonimus westermani, the oriental lung fluke. While P. westermani occurs in the Far East, other species of Paragonimus are encountered in Asia, the Americas, and Africa.
Human infection with P. westermani occurs by eating inadequately cooked or pickled crab or crayfish that harbor the parasite. The parasites excyst in the duodenum, penetrate through the intestinal wall into the peritoneal cavity, then through the abdominal wall and diaphragm into the lungs, where they become encapsulated and develop into adults. The worms can also reach other organs and tissues, such as the brain and striated muscles, respectively. Infections may persist for 20 years in humans.
The acute phase (invasion and migration) may be marked by diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, cough, urticaria (hives), hepatosplenomegaly (enlargement of the liver and spleen), pulmonary abnormalities, and eosinophilia (an elevated level of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell). During the chronic phase, pulmonary manifestations include cough, expectoration of discolored sputum, hemoptysis (spitting up blood), and chest radiographic abnormalities. Extrapulmonary locations of the adult worms result in more severe manifestations, especially when the brain is involved.
Diagnosis is based on microscopic demonstration of eggs in stool or sputum, but these are not present until 2 to 3 months after infection. Biopsy may allow diagnostic confirmation and species identification when an adult or developing fluke is recovered. Praziquantel is the drug of choice to treat paragonimiasis. Bithionol and triclabendazole sare alternative drugs for treatment of this disease.
Read Also:
- Parainfectious
Occurring at the time of and in association with an acute infection or an episode of infection. For example, transverse myelitis (a disorder of the spinal cord) can occur parainfectiously in association with a number of viral and bacterial illnesses.
- Parainfluenza
A disease due to an acute respiratory infection caused by a parainfluenza virus. Parainfluenza usually occurs in children. The clinical picture can range from a relatively mild influenza-like illness to bronchitis, croup, and pneumonia.
- Paralysis
Loss of voluntary movement (motor function). Paralysis that affects only one muscle or limb is partial paralysis, also known as palsy; paralysis of all muscles is total paralysis, as may occur in cases of botulism.
- Paralysis, facial nerve
Loss of voluntary movement of the muscles on one side of the face due to abnormal function of the facial nerve (the 7th cranial nerve) which supplies those muscles. Facial nerve paralysis is also called Bell’s palsy. The cause of facial nerve paralysis is often not known, but is thought to be due to a […]
- Paralysis, infantile (polio)
Infantile paralysis is an old synonym for poliomyelitis, an acute and sometimes devastating viral disease. Man is the only natural host for poliovirus. The virus enters the mouth and multiplies in lymphoid tissues in the pharynx and intestine. Small numbers of virus enter the blood and go to other sites where the virus multiplies more […]