Human paragonimiasis in Africa

An up-to-date review on human paragonimiasis in Africa was carried out to determine the current geographical distribution of human cases and analyze the animal reservoir, snails and crustaceans which intervene in the local life cycle of Paragonimus species. Two countries, i.e., Cameroon and Nigeria,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of African medicine 2008-12, Vol.7 (4), p.153-162
Main Authors: Aka, N'Da A, Adoubryn, Koffi, Rondelaud, Daniel, Dreyfuss, Gilles
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa - epidemiology
Animals
Causes of
Diagnosis
Disease Reservoirs - parasitology
Fluke infections
Humans
Medical screening
Paragonimiasis - diagnosis
Paragonimiasis - drug therapy
Paragonimiasis - epidemiology
Paragonimus - classification
Paragonimus - isolation & purification
Parasites
Parasitic diseases
Prevalence
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Summary:An up-to-date review on human paragonimiasis in Africa was carried out to determine the current geographical distribution of human cases and analyze the animal reservoir, snails and crustaceans which intervene in the local life cycle of Paragonimus species. Two countries, i.e., Cameroon and Nigeria, were mainly affected by this disease, while the distribution of human cases in the other eight states of the intertropical zone was scattered. Infected patients were currently few in number and two Poragonimus species: P. africanus and P. uterobilateralis, were found. The animal reservoir is mainly constituted by crab-eating mammals. The identity of the host snail remains doubtful and was either a prosobranch, or a land snail. Seven crab species belonging to Callinectes, Liberonautes and Sudononautes genera are able to harbour paragonimid metacercariae. Due to the current low prevalence of human paragonimiasis recorded in Africa and the high cost of wide-scale screenings for this disease, training of technicians in anti-tuberculosis centers would be the most realistic attitude to detect mycobacteria and/or Paragonimus eggs during the same sputum examination.
ISSN:1596-3519
0975-5764
DOI:10.4103/1596-3519.55660