Pick all that applies! A 25 year old graduate student who had recently visited F
ID: 3164416 • Letter: P
Question
Pick all that applies!
A 25 year old graduate student who had recently visited Finland and Japan for meetings was seen at an outpatient clinic. He complained of abdominal discomfort, fever, diarrhea. A stool sample was requested for parasite and enteric pathogen examination. A wet mount of the stool sample was positive for heminth eggs and bacterial culture was negative for pathogenic bacteria. Small flask shaped eggs with distinct shoulders and larger operculated eggs were found in the wet mount. 1) What intestinal parasites caused the patients infections (specify type of helminth)? 2) How did the patient acquire the infections? (what was the source of infection?). 3) What part of the parasite life cycle is important for transmission of both parasites? 4) What effect can both parasites have on the host? 5) How are the infections treated? Select the correct answers associated with this case study.
a.
metacercariae
b.
plerocercoid
c.
obstruction of biliary tract
d.
ingestion of water chestnuts
e.
thiabendazole
f.
Fasciola hepatica
g.
Diphyllobothriasis
h.
miracidia
i.
ingestion of improperly cooked fish
j.
vitamin B 12 deficiency
k.
ingestion of watercress
l.
Paragonimus westermanii
m.
pneumonia
n.
praziquantel
o.
Clonorchis sinensis
p.
Diphyllobothrium latum
a.
metacercariae
b.
plerocercoid
c.
obstruction of biliary tract
d.
ingestion of water chestnuts
e.
thiabendazole
f.
Fasciola hepatica
g.
Diphyllobothriasis
h.
miracidia
i.
ingestion of improperly cooked fish
j.
vitamin B 12 deficiency
k.
ingestion of watercress
l.
Paragonimus westermanii
m.
pneumonia
n.
praziquantel
o.
Clonorchis sinensis
p.
Diphyllobothrium latum
Explanation / Answer
1. Paragonimus westermanii (a trematode), the intestinal parasite caused the patients infections because the description of the egg in the stool sample of the patient is similar to the Paragonimus westermanii eggs. But the infection might also happend by Clonorchis sinensis, Diphyllobothrium latum because the symptoms are more or less similar.
2. Ingestion of improperly cooked fish caused the infection.
3. metacercariae (in case of Paragonimus westermanii and Clonorchis sinensis) or plerocercoid stage (in case of Diphyllobothrium latum) of the parasite life cycle is important for transmission of both parasites.
4. Obstruction of biliary tract and vitamin B 12 deficiency are two effects that the parasites can have on the host.
5. praziquantel and thiabendazole are given to the affected patients.