Parasite of the Month


Jpn J Parasitology Homepage


Paragonimiasis (lung fluke disease)

In Japan, paragonimiasis, caused by Paragonimus sp. including P. westermani, P. miyazakii, is sometime found. The patient is often misdiagnosed as a lung cancer or tuberculosis.
171K
This slide shows a ova of P. westermani. There is a characteristic thickening of the shell at the posterior end. The operculum is distinct and often slightly flattened. The ova range in size from 82 to 86 by 46 to 52 micro meter.

54K
Adult worm of P. westermani is seemed to be a coffee bean.

158K
The usual habitant of the adult worm is the lungs in which it is encapsulated in a cyst produced by host reaction.

203K
Transmission occurs when humans eat the uncooked, infected second intermediate host, Eriocheir japonicus or Geothelphusa dehaani. These crabs contain metacercariae.

185K
The worm occasionally invaded in brain, and caused cerebral paragonimiasis. On X-ray, massive calcification is revealed.


Parasite of the Previous Months Collections
  1. May 1996
  2. April 1996
  3. March 1996
  4. February 1996
  5. January 1996
  6. December 1995
  7. November 1995
  8. October 1995
  9. September 1995
  10. August 1995