Case Report: Human Subcutaneous Sparganosis in a Thai Migrant

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2019 Nov;101(5):1170-1173. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0456.

Abstract

Human sparganosis is a cestode infection which is neglected as a differential diagnosis outside endemic countries. Diagnosis and therapy may be challenging depending on the clinical presentation and anatomic localization. The disease manifests predominantly as subcutaneous nodule(s) or intracranial mass lesion(s). Infection is primarily acquired by ingesting raw or undercooked amphibian or reptile flesh or by drinking water containing copepods. We report an unusual case of subcutaneous Spirometra erinaceieuropaei sparganosis presenting with two nonmigratory nodules in close proximity to each other on the right thigh of a Thai woman living in Switzerland.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Helminth / genetics
  • Emigrants and Immigrants*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Sparganosis / diagnosis*
  • Sparganosis / epidemiology
  • Sparganosis / pathology*
  • Sparganosis / surgery
  • Spirometra / genetics
  • Spirometra / isolation & purification*
  • Subcutaneous Tissue / parasitology*
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand / epidemiology

Substances

  • DNA, Helminth