Paragonimus kellicotti: Difference between revisions
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== Treatment == |
== Treatment == |
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A ''P. kellicottii'' treatment in humans consists oral medication of [[praziquantel]] over a minimum of 3 days in order to achieve a 100% cure rate <ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2708389]</ref> when the parasite is located in the lungs. Other ectopic infections may require surgical removal. Surgery will not guarantee that all larvae will be removed. |
A ''P. kellicottii'' treatment in humans consists oral medication of [[praziquantel]] over a minimum of 3 days in order to achieve a 100% cure rate <ref>Procorp, [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2708389], "Clinical Microbiology Reviews"</ref> when the parasite is located in the lungs. Other ectopic infections may require surgical removal. Surgery will not guarantee that all larvae will be removed. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 17:22, 9 September 2014
| Paragonimus kellicotti | |
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| Scientific classification | |
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| Species: | P. kellicotti
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| Binomial name | |
| Paragonimus kellicotti Ward, 1908
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Paragonimus kellicotti, the North American lung fluke, is a species of trematode in the genus Paragonimus. This species of Paragonimus has an intricate life cycle, and although its name may suggest that it is only a health concern in North America, it is also prominent in Southeast Asia and China.
Morphology
Paragonimus kellicotti parasites have dorsal-ventrally flattened, brown, oval shaped bodies. They are soft bodied parasites with oval and ventral suckers that are relatively similar in size. They use their ventral suckers to attach to a host. Their tegument is covered with spines, which is a characteristic that sets them apart among other paragonimus species. Lung flukes are hermaphroditic, consisting of both the female and male organs. Thus, they are able to self-fertilize.[1]
Habitat
Early larval stages are found in snails and later move on to crustaceans, primarily crawfish and crabs. P. kellicotti parasites may live in fresh or salt water. Thus, they may be found within hosts of swamp, coastal, or forest areas.
Development
Lung fluke eggs are passed through feces or soil. Eggs will then hatch into miricidium within three weeks. The miricidium will infect the primary host, snails. Within snails, the miricidium will develop into cercariae. The cercariae will eventually leave the snail and infect the second intermediate host, crustaceans. The lung fluke will encyst wihin the tissue of crustaceans until it the crustacean is consumed by humans or other animals. Once the fluke has been ingested, enzymes within the digestion tract of the consumer will break down the parasitic cysts. The immature parasite will continue to mature within the lungs its new host, feeding on its intestine, and lay eggs. Mature lung flukes may breed year-round. P. kellicotti may live up to twenty years within a human host.
Infection
Infections of P. kellicotti affect 21 million people world-wide. However, humans rarely become infected in North America. The frequent victims of this infection in North America are small animals that feed on crayfish, such as otters, skunks, and mink. Occasionally, dogs and cats will become infected as well. If these animals are left without treatment they will eventually die. P. kellicotti is a food-borne trematode infection. Humans become infected with the parasite by eating raw or undercooked crayfish meat that contains the parasite larvae. These infections are common in sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas. After the parasite has been ingested, it will travel from the intestines until it reaches the lungs.
Signs of infection
There are several diagnostic signs of a lung fluke infection. These include a cough, fever and weight loss.[2] Pleural effusions, a condition in which a surplus of fluid accumulates around the lungs, is another sign of an infection. P. kellicotti infection may sometimes be misdiagnosed as tuberculosis. However, a lung fluke infection is differentiated from tuberculosis by increased eosinophils in the blood and pleural fluid.
Treatment
A P. kellicottii treatment in humans consists oral medication of praziquantel over a minimum of 3 days in order to achieve a 100% cure rate [3] when the parasite is located in the lungs. Other ectopic infections may require surgical removal. Surgery will not guarantee that all larvae will be removed.
References
- Fischer, Peter U. "Molecular Characterization of the North American Lung Fluke Paragonimus Kellicotti in Missouri and Its Development in Mongolian Gerbils." NCBI. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 June 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.
- Lane, Michael A., Mary C. Barsanti, Carlos A. Santos, Michael Yeung, Sam J. Lubner, and Gary J. Weil. "Clinical Infectious Diseases." Human Paragonimiasis in North America following Ingestion of Raw Crayfish. Oxford Journals, 17 May 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.
- Lane, Michael A. "Paragonimus Kellicotti Flukes in Missouri, USA." NCBI. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.