ABSTRACT
I. BACKGROUND The lung fluke Paragonimus, one of the most harmful parasites, causes paragonimiasis in humans and animals, mainly in Asia, some parts of West Africa, and South and Central America. It is estimated that the number of people infected is over 20 million (1). Up to the present time, at least 40 species have been reported throughout the world (2), and approximately 15 species of Paragonimus are known to infect humans. From the medical point of view, while P. heterotremus is the etiological agent of human paragonimiasis in China, Laos, and Thailand (3-5), P. westermani is the most common species elsewhere in the world. The species of Paragonimus reported to infect humans and their distribution are listed in Table 1.
