Paragonimiasis
Paragonimiasis is a food-borne parasitic disease caused by several species of lung flukes belonging to genus Paragonimus. Infection is acquired by eating crustaceans such as crabs and crayfishes which host the infective forms called metacercariae, or by eating raw or undercooked meat of mammals harboring the metacercariae from crustaceans.
| Paragonimiasis | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Infectious diseases, helminthology |
| Symptoms | Fever, malaise, cough, chest pain |
| Complications | Seizures |
| Duration | months or years |
| Causes | Paragonimus flatworms |
| Risk factors | Eating undercooked crabs and crawfish |
| Diagnostic method | Blood test, CT scan, serologic test |
| Differential diagnosis | Tuberculosis |
| Prevention | Eating thoroughly cooked crustaceans |
| Medication | Praziquantel, Triclabendazole |
| Frequency | 23 million |
More than 40 species of Paragonimus have been identified; 10 of these are known to cause disease in humans. The most common cause of human paragonimiasis is P. westermani, the oriental lung fluke.
About 22 million people are estimated to be affected yearly worldwide. It is particularly common in East Asia. Paragonimiasis is easily mistaken for other diseases with which it shares clinical symptoms, such as tuberculosis and lung cancer.