Pulmonary Paragonimiasis: A Case Report of a Rare Cause of Pleural Effusion in Children

Abstract

Paragonimiasis is a parasitic infection caused by the genus Paragonimus. It is a food-borne parasite that is isolated in the freshwater snails, crabs, and crayfish, as they are the hosts for the spread to humans who consume uncooked/raw or undercooked crustaceans. Pulmonary paragonimiasis mimics pulmonary tuberculosis. We report a case of a 5-year-old boy, resident of the northeastern state, who initially presented with persistent cough, hemoptysis, chest pain, and pleural effusion. Epidemiological features, along with history, examination, and investigations, particularly radiological imaging, led to the diagnosis of pulmonary paragonimiasis. Parasitic lung infections are rare in the pediatric population, especially in northern India, but should be considered as a differential diagnosis in cases from Northeast India presenting with persistent cough and pleural effusion.