Korean J Parasitol.
2014 Feb;52(1):69-73. 10.3347/kjp.2014.52.1.69.
Intramuscular Sparganosis in the Gastrocnemius Muscle: A Case Report
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 602-739, Korea.
- 2Department of Radiology, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 602-739, Korea.
- 3Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 626-870, Korea.
- 4Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 626-870, Korea. hsyu@pusan.ac.kr
- 5Immunoregulatory Therapeutics Group in Brain Busan 21 Project, Pusan National University, Yangsan 626-870, Korea.
- KMID: 1715674
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2014.52.1.69
Abstract
- Sparganosis is a parasitic infection caused by the plerocercoid tapeworm larva of the genus Spirometra. Although the destination of the larva is often a tissue or muscle in the chest, abdominal wall, extremities, eyes, brain, urinary tract, spinal canal, and scrotum, intramuscular sparganosis is uncommon and therefore is difficult to distinguish from a soft tissue tumor. We report a case of intramuscular sparganosis involving the gastrocnemius muscle in an elderly patient who was diagnosed using ultrasonography and MRI and treated by surgical excision. At approximately 1 cm near the schwannoma at the right distal sciatic nerve, several spargana worms were detected and removed.
