Microbiology
Liver fluke. Freshwater snails to fish to fish-eating mammals such as humans, dogs, cats, rats, pigs, badgers, weasels, camels, and buffaloes. Camels eat fish? Who knew?
Epidemiologic Risks
Eating raw fish in Asia. Evidently cases are increasing in China (PubMed).
Syndromes
Cholangitis with eosinophilia.
Treatment
Praziquantel 75 mg/kg/day in three doses for 1 day.
Albendazole 10 mg/kg x 7 d may also be used.
400 mg tribendimidine once has fewer side effects and equal efficacy but is only available in China (PubMed).
Notes
It is also a cause of hepatobiliary cancer, not the first chronic infection to result in malignancy.
Has been found in Chinese corpses buried in 278 BCE.
Last update: 05/05/18