title: [Epidemiological observations on the first case of human paragonimiasis and potential intermediate hosts of Paragonimus sp. in Benin].
abstract: Parasitological investigations were carried out for four months in 1998 in two Beninese centres of pneumo-phtisiology (Akpakpa, at Cotonou, and Akron, at Porto-Novo) to detect the patients harbouring eggs of Paragonimus sp. amongst the persons consulting for tuberculosis and showing a broncho-pneumopathy without mycobacteria. Eggs of Paragonimus sp. were detected in the sputum of a single patient out of 369 persons examined (prevalence, 0.2%). This patient had eaten crabs in the months preceding the date of diagnosis. A treatment using praziquantel has improved clinical symptomatology and biological signs found in this patient. These studies have been completed by visiting markets located in the coastal plain of Benin to identify the crabs that were sold and to find metacercariae of Paragonimus sp. Negative results were obtained when 126 Cardisoma armatum ("hole crab") were dissected. In contrast, the dissection of 176 Callinectes marginatus ("swimming crab") was successful, with 5% of crabs harbouring metacercariae of probably Paragonimus sp. Further studies are necessary to confirm these first results and to determine the global prevalence of Paragonimus infection in these definitive and intermediary hosts.
authors.affiliation: Institut d'épidémiologie et de neurologie tropicale, Faculté de médecine, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Aka
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Allabi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dreyfuss
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kinde-Gazard
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tawo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rondelaud
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bouteille
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avodé
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Anagonou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gninafon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Massougbodji
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dumas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000980:Antiplatyhelmintic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001541:Benin; D003386:Brachyura / Q000469:parasitology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010237:Paragonimiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission; D010238:Paragonimus; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013183:Sputum / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000980:Antiplatyhelmintic Agents; D011223:Praziquantel