Sparganosis

Sparganosis is an infection of sparganum, a plerocercoid larva of the genus Spirometra tapeworm.

The first sparganosis case was described by Patick Manson in China in 1882. The disease is most prevalent in Asia, especially in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, and Japan, although cases have been described sporadically around the world. Most cases in Asian countries are caused by Spirometra mansoni, while most cases in North America by Spirometra mansonoides .

Usually, dogs and cats are the definitive hosts of Pseudophyllidea tapeworm Spirometra spp. Sparganum is a parasite of carnivores, found usually in amphibians (second intermediate hosts) or reptiles (paratenic hosts). As an accidental host, human becomes infected by consuming raw tadpoles or raw flesh of amphibians (Fig. 1), reptiles, birds, or mammals such as pigs and dogs for medicinal purposes or for indigenous food cultures or by placing raw flesh poultices of amphibians or snakes infected with spargana on open wounds, lesions,...