On January 11, news from Military Hospital 108 said that the hospital had just received and successfully operated on a case, 38 years old, infected with parasitic dog tapeworm larvae in the lungs. This is a very rare case in Vietnam.
Dog tapeworms “run” into the lungs because of the habit of eating raw meat
The patient was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of fatigue, dull right chest pain, occasional difficulty breathing, no fever, no cough, no rash, no weight loss.
Fluid cyst containing tapeworm heads is located in the lower lobe of the right lung. BVCC photo
Taking medical history, before the onset of the disease, the patient ate raw or undercooked foods many times such as: Undercooked grilled lamb, goat’s blood pudding, raw vegetables and fish salad…
After examination, the results of a computed tomography scan of the chest showed: Cystic lesion in the lower lobe of the right lung measuring 12x9x8cm. The patient was referred for cystectomy.
Doctors performed thoracoscopic surgery to remove the fluid cyst for the patient. The lesion during surgery was a large, thick-walled cyst with clear cystic fluid containing tapeworm heads located in the lower lobe of the right lung.
Samples were sent for fresh examination to identify dog tapeworm larvae. After surgery, the patient’s condition was stable and recovered well.
Lung lesions on computed tomography. BVCC photo
What is dog tapeworm disease?
According to doctors, dog tapeworm disease is a disease caused by tapeworms of the Echinococcus genus. The genus Echinococcus has about 10 species. The two main species that cause disease in humans are: E. granulosus and E. multilocularis.
E. granulosus species causes cystic echinococcosis. This species’ main hosts are domestic dogs, wild dogs… Intermediate hosts are herbivores, especially sheep.
Disease caused by Echinococcus dog tapeworm larvae has clinical manifestations that depend on the species of dog tapeworm infected. The disease is characterized by slow development, and for a long time there may be absolutely no symptoms.
Cysts are commonly found in the liver, followed by the lungs and other organs such as the kidneys, spleen, heart, nervous system or bones. If not detected promptly, hydatid disease will cause: Frequent fatigue, weight loss, diarrhea, itching around the anus, epilepsy, weakness, and anemia.
Fresh examination image of dog tapeworm larvae. BVCC photo
“Everyone is capable of being infected with dog tapeworm larvae and can become infected if they eat dog tapeworm eggs. People get sick by swallowing dog tapeworm eggs when eating foods contaminated with tapeworm eggs. dogs or humans after having direct contact with infected dogs, foxes, and ferrets,” emphasized Dr. Nguyen Van Hoang, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Military Hospital 108.
How to prevent dog tapeworm disease in humans
According to Dr. Hoang, to prevent dog tapeworm disease, people need to eat well-cooked food, drink boiled water, and at the same time:
– Avoid contact with dog feces, pay attention to clean hand washing;
– Cut the transmission route by not feeding dogs uncooked viscera;
– Burn or deeply bury the internal organs of the dead intermediate host;
– Periodically deworm dogs at high risk, reducing the number of individuals in the herd.
“For people who have lived in endemic areas where the disease is endemic, eating dishes at risk of being contaminated with Echinococcus larvae along with suspicious symptoms such as mild fever, fatigue, poor appetite, jaundice, rash , chest pain, difficulty breathing, persistent cough and sometimes hemoptysis, you need to see a doctor immediately for early diagnosis and timely treatment,” Dr. Hoang recommended.
