Korean J Pediatr Infect Dis.  2002 Nov;9(2):222-229. 10.14776/kjpid.2002.9.2.222.

Three Cases of Pulmonary Paragonimiasis in a Family after Ingestion of Raw Fresh-water Crayfishes caught in a Stream of Wolchulmountain

• Lee HJ
• Sun GG
• Na KH
• Park SY
• Kim EY
• Kim KS
• Kim YW
• Kim SI

• KMID: 2440116
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14776/kjpid.2002.9.2.222

Abstract

Human infection with the lung fluke Paragonimus westermani has become rare in Korea. Human paragonimiasis is caused by eating raw fresh-water crayfishes or crabs infected with larval metacercariae. Recently, we experienced three cases of pulmonary paragonimiasis in a family. They ate raw fresh-water crayfishes that lived in a stream in Wolchulmountain. All the parients had hypereosinophilia and pulmonary infiltrates with pleural effusion or hydropneumothorax, which did not improve on antibiotics. Ingestion of raw crayfishes was a clue for paragonimiasis. Positive results were shown both on intradermal skin test and ELISA for Paragonimus westermani specific IgG. After treatment with praziquantel, the patients showed an improvement. This is the first familial human paragonimiasis, reported from Wolchulmountain in Chonnam Province where there had been no previous cases of paragonimiasis.

Keyword

Pulmonary paragonimiasis; Human

MeSH Terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Astacoidea*
Eating*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Humans
Hydropneumothorax
Immunoglobulin G
Jeollanam-do
Korea
Lung
Metacercariae
Paragonimiasis*
Paragonimus westermani
Pleural Effusion
Praziquantel
Rivers*
Skin Tests
Trematoda
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Immunoglobulin G
Praziquantel