Short report: Case of gnathostomiasis in Beijing, China

Abstract

A 59-year-old woman sought treatment of for creeping eruption and erythematous plaques associated with high fever and systemic symptoms. She had a history of eating undercooked freshwater fish raised in Beijing 10 days before admission and reported no travel during the previous year. Blood examination showed eosinophila and ultrasonography detected multiple hypoechoic areas in the liver and spleen. Western blot test detected specific antibodies to the larvae of Gnathostoma spinigerum. Cutaneous and visceral larva migrations associated with G. spinigerum were diagnosed. Twenty-three cases in 12 provinces have been reported in the Chinese literature but none have been reported in English. Copyright © 2009 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.