All issues > Volume 42(3); 1999

Case Report

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1999;42(3):430-436. Published online March 15, 1999.

A Case of Pulmonary Paragonimiasis

Jin Hee JH Hong¹, Sung Soo SS Jin¹, Nak Gyun NG Chung¹, Joon Sung JS Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Catholic University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Nak Gyun NG Chung ,Email: 1

Abstract

Paragonimiasis is a parasitic disease found in carnivorous animals which is caused by trematodes of the genus Paragonimus. Human infestation occurs by ingestion of raw or not incompletely cooked freshwater crab or crayfish with the metacercaria. Recently, the prevalence of human paragonimiasis has decreased markedly, however, about one hundred clinical cases have been diagnosed annually by antibody test in Korea. The symptoms, such as chronic cough, hemoptysis, and radiological findings are often confused with those of tuberculosis. Therefore, differential diagnosis between tuberculosis and paragonimiasis is important in Korea which has a high prevalence of tuberculosis. Recently, we experienced a case of pulmonary paragonimiasis in a 13yearold girl with hemoptysis and chest pain. Chest roentgenogram with subsequent tomography demonstrating multiple cavitary lesions and linear tubular densities. Strong positive was noted in intradermal skin test for Paragonimus westermani as well as in IgG antibody detection using ELISA method. Diagnosis was confirmed by stool with multiple P. westermani ova, which was treated with a two day course of praziquantel.

Keywords :Pulmonary paragonimiasis, Hemoptysis