Infection and Drug Resistance (Apr 2023)
Pneumothorax with Eosinophilia is an Important Diagnostic Clue for Distinguishing Paragonimiasis from Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia: A Case Report
Abstract
Shunsuke Sakakura,1,* Fumihiro Yamaguchi,1,* Takashi Abe,1 Hidekazu Cho,1 Shohei Shimizu,1 Ayaka Mase,1 Yusuke Shikama,1 Haruhiko Maruyama2 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama, Japan; 2Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fumihiro Yamaguchi, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, 1-30 Fujigaoka, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, 227-8501, Japan, Tel +81-45-971-1151, Email [email protected]: The Paragonimus westermani infection is a parasitic foodborne infection that induces systemic symptoms with eosinophilia in humans. Here, we described pneumothorax in addition to pulmonary opacities with eosinophilia in a man with a positive P. westermani serology. He was misdiagnosed with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) during the initial phase. Paragonimiasis can share similar clinical findings with CEP in cases where the worm is confined to the lungs. The findings of the current study suggest that paragonimiasis and CEP can be distinguished from each other by the presence of various symptoms. Notably, eosinophilia with pneumothorax should be an important diagnostic factor for paragonimiasis.Keywords: Paragonimus westermani, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, paragonimiasis, pneumothorax
