The 38-year-old woman in Hanoi has a habit of eating raw vegetables, is in frequent contact with cats and dogs, and occasionally has pain in both calves. Recently, she went for a routine health check-up and was ordered by the doctor to have an abdominal ultrasound and basic blood tests.
Ultrasound results of liver damage, test results show increased Bilirubin index (index helps find the cause of health conditions such as jaundice, anemia and liver and bile diseases, red blood cells, infections) and eosinophils.
The test for worms and parasites showed positive results for 6 types of parasites including roundworms, roundworms, strongyloides, dog and cat roundworms, large liver flukes and small liver flukes. The doctor advised her to have an MRI and CT scan to assess liver damage.
MRI scan detected multiple nodular lesions and localized masses in the liver, spleen, and left lung base. At the same time, CT scan recorded images of scattered lesions in bilateral lung parenchyma, mediastinal lymph nodes, and nodules of decreased density in liver and spleen parenchyma.
From the results of the scan, the doctor assessed that the patient had damage to the liver, spleen, and lungs, and the test results were positive for parasitic worms, so the diagnosis was confirmed as liver, spleen, and lung damage due to parasites. After that, the patient was consulted and treated as an outpatient at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases to avoid complications.
Dr. Ngo Chi Cuong, Head of Internal Medicine Department, Medlatec General Hospital, said that this was a rare case because the patient appeared to be in normal health, and fortunately, a routine health check-up detected the disease and treated it promptly. The doctor determined that the cause of the parasite infection was likely due to the habit of eating raw vegetables and frequent contact with cats and dogs.
If liver fluke infection is not detected and treated promptly, it can cause dangerous complications such as acute cholangitis, liver abscess, cholecystitis, and subcapsular hematoma. The initial symptoms of the disease are only loss of appetite and fatigue. Ascaris infection in dogs and cats causes persistent itching, making the patient's life difficult, and increases the risk of damage to the central nervous system, causing epilepsy, convulsions, and being mistaken for a brain tumor or mental illness.
“99% of the causes of parasitic diseases come from eating habits, due to undercooked or unhygienic food containing parasitic eggs or larvae, the remaining few can be infected through the skin from the habit of walking barefoot,” said Dr. Cuong.
Doctors recommend that people follow food hygiene principles, do not eat raw or rare meat, do not eat meat from diseased animals; eat cooked food, boil water, and periodically deworm 3 times a year, each time 4 months apart (dosage depends on age as prescribed); detect and deworm promptly if infected.
Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/6-loai-giun-san-ky-sinh-trong-co-the-nguoi-phu-nu-172240626150353442.htm
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