Prurito anal en niños cubanos con dipylidiosis / Anal pruritus in Cuban children with dipylidiasis

Introducción: La dipylidiosis es una zoonosis parasitaria producida por Dipylidium caninum. La infección es más frecuente en niños que en adultos debido al estrecho contacto de los primeros con mascotas (perros y gatos). La dipylidiosis es una enfermedad benigna y autolimitada, generalmente cursa de manera asintomática, aunque en ocasiones pueden aparecer algunos síntomas. Objetivo: Exponer el caso de niños cubanos con prurito anal, forma clínica poco frecuente de presentación de la dipylidiosis. Presentación de casos: Se trata de cuatro niños de La Habana, Cuba, atendidos en la atención primaria y secundaria de salud por presentar prurito anal, acompañado de la expulsión de elementos blanquecinos móviles en las deposiciones. Se les realizó estudios de las heces y técnica de Graham, con resultados negativos. La falta de diagnóstico etiológico de una posible parasitosis, propició la remisión de los casos al Laboratorio Nacional de Referencia de Parasitología del Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri donde se interrogó a las madres y se indicaron exámenes de las heces, que identificaron D. caninum. Conclusión: Ante niños con prurito anal, forma clínica de presentación poco frecuente de la dipylidiosis, es necesario hacer el diagnóstico diferencial de esta taeniosis zoonótica y solicitar el diagnóstico parasitológico para confirmar la parasitosis. Los resultados negativos obtenidos en la atención primaria y secundaria de salud, hacen sospechar el desconocimiento del diagnóstico de esta zoonosis parasitaria en la red nacional de salud, que, además, produjo demora de dicho diagnóstico y su confirmación en el nivel terciario de salud(AU)

Introduction: Dipylidiasis is a parasitic zoonosis produced by Dipylidium caninum. The infection is more frequent in children than in adults due to the close contact of children with pets (dogs and cats). Dipylidiasis is a benign and self-limiting disease, usually occurs asymptomatically, although sometimes some symptoms may appear. Objective: Present the case of Cuban children with anal pruritus, a rare clinical form of presentation for dipylidiasis. Presentation of cases: Four children from Havana, Cuba, treated in primary and secondary health care services after presenting anal pruritus, accompanied by the withdraw of mobile whitish elements in the stools. Stool studies and Graham's technique were performed, with negative results. The lack of etiological diagnosis of a possible parasitosis, led to the referral of the cases to the National Reference Laboratory of Parasitology of Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine where the mothers were questioned and stool tests were indicated, which identified D. caninum. Conclusion: In children with anal pruritus, a rare clinical form of presentation of dipylidiasis, it is necessary to make the differential diagnosis of this zoonotic taeniosis and request the parasitological diagnosis to confirm this parasitosis. The negative results obtained in primary and secondary health care services make suspect the ignorance of the diagnosis of this zoonotic taeniosis in the national health network, which, in addition, produced delay in the diagnosis and its confirmation at the tertiary level of health(AU)

A Human Case of Zoonotic Dog Tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum (Eucestoda: Dilepidiidae), in China

We described a human case of zoonotic dog tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum (Eucestoda: Dilepidiidae), rarely occurring in China. The mother of a 17 month-old boy noted the appearance of small white and active worms over a month period in her son’s feces, but the boy was asymptomatic except mild diarrhea. We observed 3 tapeworm proglottids resembling cucumber seeds in his stool sample. Microscopically, each proglottid had 2 genital pores, 1 on each lateral edge, and numerous egg capsules in the uterus. The patient was successfully treated with a single oral dose of praziquantel. Adult worms were recovered in the diarrheic stool after praziquantel treatment and purgation. His family had household pet dogs for several years, and he might have acquired the infection by ingestion of infected fleas of his pet dogs. A history of dog or cat pets and flea bites may be important clues to diagnosis of D. caninum infection. The infected pets should also be treated.

Dipylidium caninum infection in an infant：a rare case report and literature review

Dipylidiasis is a zoonotic parasitic infection caused by Dipilydium caninum, a common intestinal tapeworm of dogs and cats. Humans may be accidental hosts when the cysticercoid larva is ingested, mainly infants and young children due to their playing habits and their proximity with dogs and cats. It is considered a rare infection in the world. In the past 20 years only 16 cases have been reported in Europe, China, Japan, India, Sudan, Latin America and the United States. We describe a case of dipylidiasis observed in a 9-month-old girl who likely acquired the infection through games with her pet dog. In a stool sample, we observed 6 proglottids of tapeworm. Each proglottid segment was about 8-9 mm long and 2-3 mm thick. A wet mount revealed proglottids with two genital pores, one on each side, and eggs were clustered in packets containing 8-12 and surrounded by a thin membrane. The patient was successfully treated with a single dose of praziquantel. The pet dog was seen by the veterinary and also showed parasitism by Dipylidium. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only human case reported in Spain according to the literature reviewed.

Infección por Dipylidium caninum en un preescolar: presentación del caso y revisión de la literatura / Dipylidium caninum infection in a 2 year old infant: case report and literature review

Dipylidiasis is a zoonotic parasitic infection caused by the dog tapeworm Dipylidium caninum; it affects both feline and canine species and accidentally, humans. In Chile, as well as in other countries, it is an uncommon infection. A case of a 2 year old child from Casablanca, (a city located in the Valparaíso Región), with an infection by D. caninum, is presented. Clinical manifestations are reviewed, as well as epidemiology in domestic and wild animáis, cases among the published national literature and its treatment and prevention strategies.

La dipilidiasis es una zoonosis parasitaria provocada por Dipylidium caninum, teniasis que afecta a cánidos, félidos y, en forma accidental, al hombre. En Chile, al igual que en otros países, es una infección poco frecuente. Se presenta el caso de un preescolar con una infección por D. caninum, residente en la comuna de Casablanca, Región de Valparaíso. Se revisan las manifestaciones producidas por este agente, la epidemiología en animales domésticos y salvajes, los casos publicados en la literatura nacional, así como su tratamiento y las medidas de prevención.