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Sparganosis - Sparganosis symptom, treatment, causes


Sparganosis is a parasitic disease resulting from infection by the sparganum. a larval stage of certain tapeworms that live in the intestines of mammals such as dogs, cats and pigs. Their eggs are excreted and develop to sparganum stage in minute crustaceans called cyclops. Human beings and many other animals (including fish, frogs and snakes) may develop sparganosis by drinking water containing infected cyclops, by eating infected fish, or through contact of open wounds with water containing sparganum. Sparganosis produces painful inflammatory nod-ules under the skin that can cause severe swelling; and tissue destruction if they develop around the: eyeball. Treatment is by surgical excision of the nodules. Occasional cases of human sparganosis have been reported in Australia.

Sparganosis is a disease that is associated with the development of 'spargana', or cysts, in subcutaneous connective tissue and superficial muscles. The lesion is nodular, develops slowly, and can be found on any part of the body. The sparganum may be itchy, inflamed and painful.  The subcutaneous lesion resembles a lipoma, fibroma, or sebaceous cyst. S. mansoni affects dogs, cats, and other carnivores. Eggs are passed into freshwater where they are ingested by copepods (eg, Cyclops ). Frogs, reptiles, and various small mammals ingest them and serve as intermediate hosts. Humans can become infected by accidental ingestion of copepods from water contaminated by cat or dog feces, ingestion of inadequately cooked flesh from another intermediate host, or contact with poultices containing flesh from these sources. In humans, larvae typically migrate to subcutaneous tissue or muscle and form slowly growing masses. Other sites, including the CNS, may be involved but are much less common. Symptoms are caused by mass effect, and disease may be discovered through imaging studies.

Symptoms of Sparganosis

Some common Symptoms of Sparganosis :

  • Local tissue destruction.
  • Painful inflamed skin nodules.
  • Local skin swelling.

Treatment of Sparganosis

  • Surgical removal .

Sparganosis - Sparganosis symptom, treatment, causes

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