Pulmonary sparganosis: a case report with five years follow-up.
Sparganosis has a world wide distribution, but only a few patients have pulmonary involvement. The term sparganosis is defined as an infection by the larva of parasitic tapeworms of Spirometra species. We present here-in a patient, who was infected by this parasite and had pulmonary symptoms. The chest roentgenography revealed diffuse multiple nodular infiltration with cavitations. Bronchoscopy with a transbronchial lung biopsy was nondiagnostic. Finally, open lung biopsy was performed, and the histologic examination revealed plerocercoid larva of sparganum. The patient was treated with mebendazole 40 mg/kg/day for 6 months and his symptoms and pulmonary function improved. In the 5th year of follow-up, he presented with more progressive dyspnea and developed cor pulmonale, and finally died from pneumonia with sepsis. The objective of this report was to present a rare manifestation of sparganosis and it's clinical course. Currently, there is no known effective treatment for this disease.
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand.
A
A
Phunmanee
W
W
Boonsawat
B
B
Indharapoka
C
C
Tuntisirin
J
J
Kularbkeaw
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D018450:Disease Progression; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013031:Sparganosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D013785:Thailand
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008463:Mebendazole