Cerebral paragonimiasis caused by the lung fluke,
Paragonimus westermani, is still existent in Japan. Human infections with
Paragonimus westermani usually result from eating raw or improperly cooked crabs or crayfish. In Japan, a big crab,
Eriocheir japonicus serves as the main source of this infection.
The author succeeded in producing experimental cerebral paragonimiasis in dogs and cats by direct introduction of adult flukes into the subdural space. On the other hand, he proved many
Paragonimus ova in the brains of the dogs which had been orally infected with
Paragonimus, but could not find any demonstrable gross lesions in all the brains. From these experimental studies, he concluded that egg embolism may have produced microscopic lesions, but gross lesions seen in human cerebral paragonimiasis resulted from a direct migration of the fluke into the cranial cavity.
The onset of cerebral paragonimiasis is usually insidious and the clinical manifestations vary, resembling suppurative meningitis, brain abscess, brain tumor, and other neurologic disorders. Other parasitic infections in the central nervous system also should be differentiated from cerebral paragonimiasis.
The principal treatment for cerebral paragonimiasis is chemotherapy and surgery. Bithionol, [2, 2'-thiobis (4, 6-dichlorphenol)] is effective for cerebral paragonimiasis in clinical use. Surgical removal of the lesion should be reserved for a single or localized lesion complicated by increased intracranial pressure, and should not be done if the lesion is multiple and extensive. Occasionally, no abscess can be found and a puncture encounters no resistance, even if repeated. In such patients, an aspiration biopsy should be done, and chemotherapy with bithionol should be started as soon as possible. For nonprogressive forms, only supportive treatment is required unless the conditions become active.
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