Pulmonary paragonimiasis in Southeast Asians living in the central San Joaquin Valley

Abstract

We describe four cases of pulmonary paragonimiasis in Southeast Asians who emigrated to the central San Joaquin Valley of California. Physicians should be alerted to the possibility of this disease in Asian patients with hemoptysis and pulmonary infiltrates. Paragonimiasis can masquerade as pulmonary tuberculosis, especially in patients from areas that are endemic for both the parasite and the tubercle bacillus. The ease and safety with which this infection can be treated, in contrast to tuberculosis, reiterates the importance of diagnosing this lung fluke when it is present.