Paragonimosis in the Cajabamba and Condebamba districts, Cajamarca, Peru Paragonimíase nos distritos de Cajabamba e Condebamba, Cajamarca, Peru

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: William CORNEJO, Alina HUIZA, Yrma ESPINOZA, Pilar ALVA, Carlos SEVILLA, Wilson CENTURION
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2000
• Subjects: Paragonimus sp; Freshwater crab; Paragonimosis; Metacercariae; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652000000500002; https://doaj.org/article/331bd0f36e3f404393f1d2ea22605d89

Stool samples from 409 pre-school and school students, living in six villages of the Cajabamba and Condebamba districts, Cajamarca, Perú, were examined using wet preparations and Lumbreras' method, looking for Paragonimus eggs. Fecal and sputum samples from two children (0.5%) of 6 and 8 year-old showed eggs of Paragonimus. One hundred and twenty freshwater crabs, Hypolobocera chilensis eigenmanni, were collected from the Condebamba valley and 21 (17.5%) of them were infected with P. mexicanus (syn. P. peruvianus) metacercariae. Our results show the persistence of Paragonimus in human beings and in the main source of infection, the crabs. As amostras de fezes de 409 pré-escolares e escolares de 6 localidades dos distritos de Cajabamba e de Condebamba, departamento de Cajamarca, Peru, foram avaliados pelo método de Lumbreras na busca de ovos de Paragonimus sp. Dois meninos (0,5%), de 6 a 8 anos de idade, revelaram ovos de Paragonimus sp. nas suas fezes, bem como nas amostras de escarro. O exame radiográfico de tórax mostrou lesões pulmonares. Foram coletados 120 caranguejos de rio, Hypolobocera chilensis eigenmanni, no vale de Condebamba , encontrando-se 21 (17,5%) infectados com metacercárias de P. mexicanus (sin. P. peruvianus). Nossos resultados revelam a persistencia de Paragonimus sp. na população na sua principal fonte de infecção, os caranguejos.