Diplogonoporiasis presumably introduced into Spain: first confirmed case of human infection acquired outside the Far East.
A 58-year-old man who was very fond of eating raw fish and had not left Zaragoza Province in Spain in the last 20 years excreted a short chain of gravid proglottids. Treatment with 50 mg/kg of paromomycin sulfate was divided into three doses, all given within the same day, followed by administration of a laxative at night. On days 1 and 2 post-treatment, several chains of degenerated proglottids were evacuated. Only eggs were expelled on days 3 and 4. A long complete strobila including the scolex, and immature, mature, and gravid segments was spontaneously discharged on day 25 after treatment. It was identified as Diplogonoporus balaenopterae, and was the first confirmed case of diplogonoporiasis outside the Far East (all previous cases were reported from Japan, except for one recent case reported from Korea). The origin of this case, outside of its normal geographic location, may be associated with the importation of fish into Spain. The viability of the infective larval stage is evidence of its resistance to export/import conditions. Treatment with paromomycin sulfate did not result in the whole worm being discharged but several short strobilar chains showed drug-induced degeneration.
Clavel
A
A
Catedra de Microbiologia y Parasitologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain.
Bargues
M D
MD
Castillo
F J
FJ
Rubio
M D
MD
Mas-Coma
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002589:Cestoda / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000469:parasitology*; D005399:Fishes / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain