ABSTRACT
Paragonimiasis is a subacute to chronic inflammatory lung disease caused by
infection with lung flukes, Paragonimus species. Human infection occurs mainly by ingesting freshwater crabs/crayfishes contaminated with metacer-
cariae (infective larvae) of Paragonimus spp. so that the disease is a typical food-borne parasitic zoonosis. Baelz found the first human case of paragoni-
miasis in Japan by detecting Paragonimus westermani eggs in sputum of a patient with hemoptysis. Subsequently, other species has been reported to
cause human infection. Till now, at least the following nine species are known
to cause human paragonimiasis: P. westermani, P. skrjabini, P. heterotremus, P. miyazakii, P. caliensis, P. mexicanus, P. africanus, P. uterobilateralis, and P. kellicotti (1-3). Clinical findings of paragonimiasis is often confused with pulmonary tuberculosis, lung malignancy, or other infectious diseases. The
key to the diagnosis is just an awareness of this disease not only in endemic
but also in nonendemic areas. Because of the increase in number of overseas
travelers, popularization of ethnic dishes, and the expansion of worldwide
trading of foodmaterials, sporadic cases have been found in nonendemic areas
(4). In this review, we will elucidate the current status of paragonimiasis from the data of our laboratory and literal survey.
