Abstract
Background : Worms of the genus Paragonimus enter the human body through consumption of undercooked freshwater crabs or wild boar. The recent social globalization of human diets has resulted in an increase in the number of cases of paragonimiasis. Herein, we report two cases of paragonimiasis that were confirmed by the detection of eggs of the genus Paragonimus in sputum cytology specimens.
Cases : Case 1 : A Chinese woman in her 40 s living in Osaka presented with cough and sputum, and was diagnosed as having a pneumothorax. Partial pulmonary resection was performed. The resected lung contained numerous organisms of the genus Paragonimus. Several golden eggs of the genus Paragonimus were retrospectively confirmed on examination of sputum cytology specimens obtained prior to surgery.
Case 2 : A Japanese woman in her 40 s with a history of travel to Guam and Okinawa presented with cough and bloody sputum. A chest radiograph showed the presence of abnormal nodules. A laboratory examination revealed eosinophilia, elevated serum IgE, and a positive result for the presence of serum antibodies to Paragonimus westermanii. The presence of eggs in the sputum cytology specimens confirmed the diagnosis. Then, a concentration method was employed for detailed observation of the structure.
Conclusion : These instructive cases illustrate the importance of applying clinical information and thorough knowledge about this parasite in the daily practice of cytology.
