Rare case of paragonimiasis with involvement of the parotid gland alone in a 5-year-old boy

Abstract

Paragonimiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Paragonimus trematodes, which are typical food-borne zoonoses prevalent in Asia, West Africa, and Latin America. A clinical infection by paragonimiasis usually begins with cough, haemoptysis, and dyspnoea, some of which overlap with symptoms of tuberculosis and other pulmonary disorders. Human paragonimiasis presents as a complex set of symptoms that may result in misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. The parotid is seldom affected. We describe the case of a 5-year-old boy with paragonimiasis who presented with a swelling of the parotid and no pulmonary signs or symptoms.

Keywords: Paragonimiasis; Paragonimus; Parotid; Parotitis.