TREMATODES OF THE LUNGS

TREMATODES OF THE LUNGS

Some trematodes develop to maturity in the lungs of their mammalian hosts. The majority of these trematodes are in the genus Paragonimus. There are many different species within the genus Paragonimus; Miyazaki (1991. Helminthic Zoonoses. 494 pages. International Medical Foundation of Japan. Fukuoka, Japan) recognizes 28 species with 21 in Asia, 2 in Africa, and 5 from the Americas. All of these trematodes are parasites of the lungs as adults. Also, all are probably capable of developing within the cat. However, not all have been reported from the cat with only twelve of the species being reported from this host. Typically cats become infected with these trematodes by the ingestion of an infected crustacean. The adults of Paragonimus are large, robust trematodes with thick bodies that are covered with spines. Typically they are found in cysts within the lungs that may contain anywhere from one to ten adult flukes. These trematodes are capable of causing serious disease in the infected host. Again, as with the Opisthorchids, some of these trematodes, especially Paragonimus westermani causes serious disease in people, and there is a great deal of literature on the subject in texts of human parasitology. An excellent concise summary of the different species causing disease in humans that is based on first-hand knowledge is found in Miyazaki’s text Helminthic Zoonoses.

TREMATODE PARASITES OF THE LUNGS

TROGLOTREMATIDAE

Paragonimuswestermani (Kerbert, 1878) Braun, 1899

Paragonimuspulmonalis (Baelz, 1880) Miyazaki, 1978

Paragonimusmiyazakii Kamo, Nishida, Hatsushika, and Tomimura, 1961

Paragonimusheterotremus Chen and Hsia, 1964

Paragonimussiamensis Miyazaki and Wykoff, 1965

Paragonimusskrjabini Chen, 1964

Paragonimusohirai Miyazaki, 1939

Paragonimuskellicotti Ward, 1908

Paragonimusmexicanus Miyazaki and Ishii, 1968

Paragonimusinca Miyazaki, Mazabel, Grados, and Uyema, 1975

Paragonimusafricanus Voelker and Vogel, 1965

Paragonimusuterobilateralis Volker and Vogel, 1965