An outbreak of ascariasis with marked eosinophilia in the southern part of Kyushu District, Japan, caused by infection with swine ascaris.

Ascariasis has been a representative soil-transmitted intestinal parasitic disease in warm climates. In Japan, this disease was a major and serious public health problem only a few decades ago. However, the incidence of the disease nowadays is reportedly less than 0.01%. Recently in 1994 through 1995, we experienced a total of 14 cases who were suspected as having ascariasis. They were characterized by peripheral blood eosinophilia (30-70%), high serum titers against Ascaris antigen, and most notably, they were absolutely negative for Ascaris eggs in repeated fecal examinations. Specific antibody titers against Ascaris antigen correlated well with the degree of eosinophilia. All patients were living in narrow areas of Kyushu, Japan, where a lot of porcine farms were located. Most of the patients were asymptomatic and pointed out to have eosinophilia during follow-up studies of chronic diseases or in regular check-up. Only one patient had a clear sign of Löffler's syndrome and another had subcutaneous eosinophilic granuloma. However, laboratory examinations revealed moderate liver dysfunction in 7 patients and pulmonary infiltrations in 5 patients. Based on circumstantial and serological evidence, these patients were diagnosed as having been infected with Ascaris lumbricoides suum, a swine Ascaris.

A study on immunodiagnosis of gnathostomiasis by ELISA and double diffusion with special reference to the antigenicity of Gnathostoma doloresi.

In order to diagnose gnathostomiasis immunologically, Gnathostoma doloresi was evaluated for the antigenicity in comparison with G. hispidum which was recently reported in Japan by using micro-ELISA. The study revealed that G. doloresi can be used as the alternate source of antigen in the test. A significant increase of specific IgG antibodies was seen in 22 (73.3%) out of 30 gnathostomiasis cases. Although double diffusion was slightly less sensitive than ELISA, it was considered more specific than the latter method.

Dirofilaria infection in the breast of a woman in Japan.

Dirofilaria infection in the breast of a woman was reported from Japan. A nodule in the breast was excised and histologically examined. The sections of a female nematode were found in the center of the nodule. Based on the morphological features of this worm, it is suggested that this may represent the second human case of Dirofilaria immitis occurring in the breast.