Original Article
Korean J Parasitol. 1986 Jun;24(1):82-86. English.
Published online Mar 20, 1994.  http://dx.doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1986.24.1.82
Copyright © 1986 by The Korean Society for Parasitology
Human infections by Heterophyes heterophyes and H. dispar imported from Saudi Arabia
Jong Yil Chai,Byong Seol Seo,*Soon Hyung Lee,Sung Jong Hong and Woon Mok Sohn
Department of Parasitology and Institute of Endemic Diseases, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 110, Korea.
Abstract

Two human cases of Heterophyes heterophyes and H. dispar infections were proven by the recovery of their adult worms. The cases were 38-year and 40-year old Korean workers who had been in Saudi Arabia for 4-6 years and returned home in 1983 or 1984 with gastrointestinal troubles. In Saudi Arabia they had eaten raw brackish water fishes such as the mullet. After the treatment with 10 mg/kg praziquantel and purgation with magnesium salt, a total of 19 specimens of H.heterophyes and 140 of H. dispar were collected. It is of interest that the worms persisted in a patient although he had been back in Korea for 14 months. This is the first report on imported heterophyiasis in Korea. Human infection by H. dispar is the first record in the literature.

Figures


Figs. 1-7
Figs. 1-4.Heterophyes heterophyes collected from a Korean worker returned from Saudi Arabia. 1. A formalin-fixed specimen (from Case I) showing its genital sucker (GS) and other structures (Scale: 0.2mm). 2. Another specimen (acetocarmine-stained) showing the position and morphology of male and female genital organs (Scale: 0.2mm). 3. Magnification of its middle portion, where the ventral sucker (VS), genital sucker (GS) and total 73 chitinous rodlets are observed (Scale: 0.04mm). 4. Magnification of a portion of the uterine loop containing many eggs, 0.023~0.030mm long and 0.013~0.016mm wide (Scale: 0.04mm)

Figs 5-7.Heterophyes dispar collected form the same person. 5. A formalin-fixed specimen (from Case I) showing smaller body and smaller genital sucker (arrow) than H. heterophyes. Two intestinal ceca extend long but not as much posterior as in H. heterophyes (Scale: 0.2mm). 6. Another specimen (aceto-carmine-stained) showing a small genital sucker (arrow) and various genital organs (Scale: 0.2mm). 7. Magnification of its middle portion showing the ventral sucker (VS), genital sucker (GS) and total 31 rodlets (Scale: 0.04mm).


Tables


Table 1
No. of heterophyid flukes collected from the present cases


Table 2
Comparative measurements of H. heterophyes with those of other workers


Table 3
Comparative measurements of H. dispar with those of other workers

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