Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
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Breast Sparganosis Presenting with a Painless Breast Lump: Report of Two Cases

  • Oh, Moon Young (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Kyoung-Eun (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Min Jung (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital) ;
  • Chu, Ajung (Department of Radiology, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center) ;
  • Lee, Jong Yoon (Department of Radiology, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center) ;
  • Park, Jeong Hwan (Department of Pathology, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center) ;
  • Kim, Jongjin (Department of Surgery, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center) ;
  • Hwang, Ki-Tae (Department of Surgery, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center)
  • Received : 2019.01.18
  • Accepted : 2019.03.20
  • Published : 2019.04.30
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Abstract

Sparganosis is a parasitic infestation caused by sparganum, a plerocercoid tapeworm larva of the genus Spirometra. Since the first case of human sparganosis reported in 1908, sparganosis has been a global disease, and is common in China, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries. Consumption of raw snakes, frogs, fish, or drinking contaminated beverages are sources of human infections. Human sparganosis usually manifests in subcutaneous fat in areas such as the abdomen, genitourinary tract, and limbs. Breast sparganosis cases are rare, representing less than 2% of total cases of human infections. Complete surgical extraction of the sparganum is the treatment of choice. Because of the rarity of the disease, clinical suspicion is vital to reach the diagnosis of breast sparganosis. Here we report 2 rare cases of breast sparganosis presenting with a painless breast lump, both treated with surgical excision and sparganum extraction.

Keywords

References

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