Discovery of Encysted Paragonimus westermani Eggs in the Omentum of an Asymptomatic Elderly Woman

Sai-Cheong Lee Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of General Surgery, and Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsung Medical College, Keelung, Taiwan, Republic of China

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Shyh-Chuan Jwo Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of General Surgery, and Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsung Medical College, Keelung, Taiwan, Republic of China

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Kao-Pin Hwang Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of General Surgery, and Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsung Medical College, Keelung, Taiwan, Republic of China

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Ning Lee Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of General Surgery, and Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsung Medical College, Keelung, Taiwan, Republic of China

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Wen-Bin Shieh Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of General Surgery, and Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsung Medical College, Keelung, Taiwan, Republic of China

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We report a case of asymptomatic chronic infiltrate of the omentum by eggs of Paragonimus westermani in an elderly woman who had immigrated to Taiwan from mainland China 46 years ago. The patient had a habit of eating raw freshwater crabs from the lakes of eastern China during her period of residence in that country. She stopped eating raw crabs after coming to Taiwan 20 years ago. During surgery for a peptic ulcer complicated by severe bleeding in 1995, her omentum was found to contain many small nodules approximately 2 × 2 × 1.5 cm in size. Biopsy of the nodules revealed eggs of P. westermani embedded in necrotic debris surrounded by capsules. A sputum examination result was negative and a chest radiograph was normal. The majority of the nodules in the omentum were removed during the surgery and praziquantel was given. At the present time, the patient remains asymptomatic.

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