Pulmonary Infection with Lophomonas blattarum

Indian J Pediatr. 2021 Jan;88(1):23-27. doi: 10.1007/s12098-020-03311-1. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the characteristics of Lophomonas blattarum infection in children based on a retrospective review of medical records data from Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, China.

Methods: This study included 53 cases from July 2014 through December 2016. The data were tabulated and statistically analysed in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and SPSS 17.0.

Results: The average age of the 53 patients was 7.10 ± 0.56 years, and the male/female ratio was 3:2.3. The most common clinical manifestation was cough, and almost half of the patients had fever. Furthermore, all patients were treated with metronidazole and recovered.

Conclusions: For children who have had long-term respiratory symptoms, the possibility of Lophomonas blattarum infection should be ruled out. Metronidazole is effective in treating L. blattarum infection in children.

Keywords: Children; Lophomonas blattarum; Pulmonary infection.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • China / epidemiology
  • Cough
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Diseases, Parasitic*
  • Male
  • Pneumonia*
  • Retrospective Studies