Indirect evidence of ectopic pancreatic fascioliasis in a human.
Fascioliasis is not common in humans and, furthermore, its ectopic migration into the pancreas is extremely rare. A definitive diagnosis of ectopic fascioliasis is based on the demonstration of flukes in the affected organ. If the flukes invade the parenchyma, however, imaging studies are limited in the detection of worms and surgical identification is required. We encountered a clinical case of probable ectopic pancreatic fascioliasis diagnosed through indirect evidence. A 46-year-old Korean woman was admitted with left upper quadrant pain. She had taken praziquantel for hepatic fascioliasis, which had been diagnosed at another hospital, and then developed abdominal pain. Peripheral eosinophilia, hyperamylasemia and hyperlipasemia were documented. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple, hypodense foci which had coalesced, forming irregular nodules in the medial and lateral segments of the left lobe of the liver, and similar 2- to 3-cm sized, hypodense lesions in the body and isthmus of the pancreas. IgG antibody against Fasciola hepatica was positive. Bithionol was given orally, and the patient's symptoms and biochemistry then improved, with reversal of eosinophilia. Radiological studies showed normalization of the liver and pancreas at the 10th week, and the serology for Fasciola hepatica was negative at the fifth month.
Lee
Ok-Jae
OJ
Department of Internal Medicine and Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea. ojlee@non-gae.gsnu.ac.kr
Kim
Tae-Hyo
TH
D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D000980:Antiplatyhelmintic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001735:Bithionol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000276:immunology*; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000980:Antiplatyhelmintic Agents; D001735:Bithionol