Recommended Citation
Villanueva-Villegas R, Diaz-Mendoza J, Salas-Lopez J, and Espiche C. Paragonimiasis Misdiagnosed as Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Case Report. Cureus 2023; 15(3):e36169.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2023
Publication Title
Cureus
Abstract
Paragonimiasis is a zoonosis caused by the ingestion of raw or undercooked crustaceans parasitized with metacercaria of Paragonimus spp. In Peru, Cajamarca is considered an endemic region for paragonimiasis. A 29-year-old man from the department of San Martín, Peru presented with a three-year history of cough, chest pain, fever, and hemoptysis. Treatment for tuberculosis (TB) was initiated even with negative results for sputum acid-fast bacillus (AFB), due to the patient's clinical characteristics and the high prevalence of the condition in the region. After eight months, due to the lack of any clinical improvement, he was referred to a regional hospital, where Paragonimus eggs were evidenced in direct sputum cytology. The patient received treatment with triclabendazole and showed clinical and radiological improvement. It is important to consider eating habits, even in non-endemic areas, for diagnosing paragonimiasis in patients with TB symptoms who do not respond to a specific treatment.
PubMed ID
37065342
Volume
15
Issue
3
First Page
36169
Last Page
36169
