Studies on intestinal trematodes in Korea XI. Two cases of human infection by Heterophyes heterophyes nocens.

Two human cases of Heterophyes heterophyes nocens infection were proved by identifying adult worms after treatment with bithionol or praziquantel in 1983 in Korea. They are 37 (Case 1) and 24-year old (Case 2) males whose residence or native village is a southern coastal area in Kohung-gun, Chollanam-do. The Case 1 had the gastrointestinal symptoms such as epigastric pain and indigestion, and the Case 2 heart problems such as arrhythmia and ventricular premature beat in EKG and digestive symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. After the treatments, 35 and 67 specimens of H. heterophyes nocens respectively were collected from the diarrheal stools through stereomicroscopy. The Case 1 was concommitantly infected with Clonorchis sinensis and the case 2 with 3 other kinds of heterophyid flukes and with Diphyllobothrium latum. The cases said to have eaten raw brackish water fish such as mullets (Mugil cephalus), perches (Lateolabrax japonicus) and gobies (Acanthogobius flavimanus) which are the intermediate hosts of H. heterophyes nocens in Korea.