Diphyllobothriasis in a nine-year-old child in India: a case report

Abstract

IntroductionThe Diphyllobothrium genus belongs to the Diphyllobothridea order of tapeworms. Diphyllobothrium spp., which is commonly known as fish tapeworm, is generally transmitted in humans, but also in other species, such as bears, dogs, cats, foxes, and other terrestrial carnivores. Although worldwide in distribution, the original heartland of Diphyllobothrium spp. spreads across Scandinavia, northern Russia, and western Serbia. We report a rare case that occurred in India.Case presentationA nine-year-old south Indian girl was brought to the casualty at the Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences with complaints of vomiting and loose stools that had started three days earlier. The vomit did not have a foul smell and contained no blood or mucus, but it did contain undigested food particles. The patient described a history of recurrent abdominal pain. She was a non-vegetarian and said she had a history of eating fish.ConclusionThe incidence of Diphyllobothrium spp. infection is infrequent in India. Since this is only the fourth reported case in India, and since the previously reported cases also involved observed pediatric patients, we emphasize the need for clinical microbiologists and pediatricians to suspect fish tapeworm infection and recommend epidemiological study of Diphyllobothrium spp. infection.

Intestinal parasitic infections: An overview

“…[23][24][25][26][27][28][29] Recent reports of infection with Diphyllobothrium spp and Dipylidium caninum from India highlights the need for pediatricians to make a thorough clinical evaluation taking in to consideration the prevalent parasitic infection in the particular geographical region, hygiene status, recent travel to endemic areas and other associated predisposing factors as suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO). [30] Clinical microbiologists must follow standard laboratory procedures when screening the stool samples and increase the chances of finding the parasites. The social and preventive medicine personnel should conduct visits to communities, evaluate their nutrition status (especially children and pregnant women), encourage hygiene practices, recommend consumption of safe drinking water, sensitize about the infections transmitted by domestic animals, disadvantages of illiteracy and defecation in open areas and prioritize primary health care and emphasize oral rehydration as the key and relatively inexpensive intervention for reduction of diarrhoeal disease mortality.…”

Parasitic Infections in Pediatric Population of India: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Strategies for Prevention

“…It is caused by the ingestion of raw fresh-water fish containing the infectious larvae. [36][37][38][39] Diagnosis can be achieved by demonstration of characteristic operculated eggs or segments of adult worms in stool examination. 36,37 Dipylidium caninum, also called the cucumber tapeworm or the double pore tapeworm, has been rarely implicated in children.…”

“…[36][37][38][39] Diagnosis can be achieved by demonstration of characteristic operculated eggs or segments of adult worms in stool examination. 36,37 Dipylidium caninum, also called the cucumber tapeworm or the double pore tapeworm, has been rarely implicated in children. 40 Recently, a case has been reported from Orissa in a 4-year-old boy who was suffering from anal itching and passage of small rice grain-like structures in stool.…”

Dermatology Eponyms – sign –Lexicon (G)

“…Abnormally feeling guilty, can progress to feeling paranoid, accompanied with paralysis and fever. An indication of B-12 deficiency caused by a parasitic tapeworm infection [43] ( Fig. 35).…”

“…Nienormalnie uczucie winy, może przejść do uczucie paranoi, wraz z paraliżu i gorączką. Związane z niedoborem witaminy B-12 spowodowane przez pasożytnicze zakażenie tasiemcem [43] (Ryc. 35).…”