Three weeks after a river rafting trip,three family members experienced symptoms of coughing,fever,and chest pain.During the rafting trip,the family had consumed crayfish that they caught along the river banks.An examination of the patients' sputum revealed helminth eggs,and serum samples were positive for antibodies to Paragonimus.All of the family members recovered following treatment with praziquantel.In the Paragonimus life cycle,

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Paragonimus is a genus of lung fluke that infects humans and other mammals. In the life cycle of Paragonimus, the first intermediate host is a snail, which contains the miracidium stage of the parasite. The cercariae are released from the snail and then infect the second intermediate host, which is usually a freshwater crustacean like crayfish. Humans become infected by ingesting undercooked or raw infected seafood, including crayfish. Once inside the human body, the juveniles of the parasite migrate to the lungs and matures. The presence of helminth eggs in the patients' sputum and positive antibodies to Paragonimus in their serum confirmed the diagnosis of paragonimiasis. The treatment of choice for paragonimiasis is praziquantel.

Three Weeks After a River Rafting Trip,three Family Members Experienced