Retrospective epidemiological analysis of sparganosis in mainland China from 1959 to 2012

Abstract

In this study, epidemiological factors of sparganosis cases reported in mainland China from 1959 to December 2012 were analysed. A total of 1061 valid cases were distributed throughout most of the provinces of mainland China, with most cases occurring in Southern and Eastern China. The average age of patients was 29 years (range 0-80 years). Modes of transmission to humans were via contact (54·6%), mainly by application of frog meat as a poultice, foodborne (33·8%), mainly through ingesting frogs or snakes, and waterborne (11·5%) through drinking raw water. The tissue/organs involved were subcutaneous/muscle (43·1%), eyes (31·0%), central nervous system (CNS) (17·9%), urogenital system (3·9%) and visceral organs (3·2%). Obvious differences existed in main risk factors for different areas. Close correlation was found between tissue/organs and risk factors. Main modes of transmission changed during the past decades, from contact (83·8% pre-1979) to foodborne (63·9% post-2000). The tissue/organs involved also changed at the same time. Cases involving eyes fell from 50·0% pre-1979 to 8·3% post-2000, and cases involving CNS increased from 0% pre-1979 to 47·8% post-2000. These results illustrate that China is one of the main epidemic countries of sparganosis in the world. Consumption of frog/snake meat was the main risk factor, although application of frog flesh as a poultice was the main risk factor before 2000. Sparganosis has become one of the neglected but important foodborne/waterborne parasitic diseases in mainland China.

Case Report: Morphologic and Genetic Identification of Cerebral Sparganosis

“…A retrospective epidemiological analysis showed that a total of 1,061 valid cases were distributed throughout most of the provinces of mainland China from 1959 to 2012. 2 Recently, the incidence of sparganosis has gradually risen and sparganosis has even been termed an emerging enzootic disease in several districts. 3 In the life cycle of Spirometra, its adult worms can reside in the intestines of dogs and cats, and develop into procercoid larvae when ingested by the first intermediate host cyclops.…”

An Unusual Cause of a Breast Mass in a Patient from China

“…3 Our case describes the issues surrounding diagnosis and management of sparganosis manifesting as a breast mass in a Chinese female.…”

A Retrieved Sparganum of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei from a Korean Man during Mechanical Thrombectomy

“…Human sparganosis is a zoonotic disease caused by infection and migration of the plerocercoid of Spirometra spp. Human is almost always the intermediate host, rarely infected with developing intraintestinal adult worms [1,2]. The routes of sparganum infection involve either drinking water contaminated with procercoid-infected copepods or consumption of undercooked meat of plerocerciod-infected snakes or frogs.…”

“…The clinical presentations of sparganosis are widely varied and dependent on location of the infection. The larvae invade throughout the body, including the brain, spine, eyes, skin, lungs, abdominal viscera, and genitourinary tract, and can live in humans for up to 20 years [2]. Central nervous system infection can present with headache, seizure, confusion, weakness, and/or paresthesia, depending on location of the larvae and migrating path [6].…”