Chinese liver fluke: description
The Chinese liver fluke (Clonorchis sinensis or Opisthorchis sinensis) is a small, lance-like worm. The parasite causes the infectious disease clonorchiasis (Opisthorchiasis) in humans. Sometimes related species also trigger the disease: Opisthorchis felineus (cat liver fluke) and Opisthorchis viverrini.
Chinese liver fluke: symptoms
A Chinese liver fluke mainly attacks the bile ducts. Therefore, clonorchiasis is mainly manifested by symptoms caused by obstruction or inflammation of the bile ducts. These include:
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling of fullness
- Diarrhea
- Gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis) with pain in the right upper abdomen
- Liver inflammation (hepatitis)
- jaundice (icterus): Discoloration of the conjunctiva of the eyes and skin
Chinese liver fluke: causes and risk factors
If the infected freshwater fish is subsequently eaten by humans, dogs or cats, the larvae enter the bile ducts of these end hosts via the gastrointestinal tract. There, within about four weeks, they grow into sexually mature, two-centimeter liver fluke. They lay eggs that are excreted in the stool through the host’s intestine.
Chinese liver fluke: risk factors
A Chinese liver fluke also benefits from poor hygienic conditions. If feces are not disposed of professionally, but the wastewater is discharged into surrounding waters, the worm eggs from the feces enter the freshwater. There they encounter water snails, in which they continue to develop.
Chinese liver fluke: examinations and diagnosis
- Where abroad have you been?
- When were you there?
- Did you eat fish there?
- Since when do you have the complaints?
Your doctor will then examine you. He will palpate your abdomen to check for pain. After that, he will palpate your liver rim as well as your spleen to check for possible enlargement of the organs.
Chinese liver fluke: treatment
If worm eggs from Chinese liver fluke have been detected in the stool, you will be given a medicine with the active ingredient praziquantel. This is a vermifuge (antihelminthic) that can be swallowed. It paralyzes the Chinese liver fluke and thereby kills it. The parasite is then excreted in the stool. Praziquantel must be taken for three weeks. Then the stool is examined again for worm eggs.
