OS 213: Human Disease and Treatment 3(Circulation

and Respiration)
LAB 03: PARAGONIMUS WESTERMANI
Exam 1 | Parasitology Faculty | August 25, 2013
OUTLINE
I. Life Cycle
II. Ovum
III.Vectors
A. Primary: Antemelania
B. Secondary:
Sundathelphusa

IV. Metacercaria
V. Adult
A. General Features
B. Reproductive

LIFE CYCLE

First
intermediate
host:
the
snails
Antemelania asperata; Antemelania dactylus

Miracidium enters snail sporocyst stage

redial stage cercaria emerges exit snail to infect 2 0
host

Cercaria
o Covered with spines and has an ellipsoidal body
with small tail
o Stylet present at dorsal side of the oral sucker

Figure 04. Sundathelphusa

Figure 01. Life Cycle of Paragonimus westermani

OVUM
Oval, yellowish-brown, thick-shelled
Flat but prominent operculum (larger end)
Abopercular portion is thickened (smaller end)
Unembryonated at deposition
Embryonates in water, moist soil or feces
Develops into a miracidium within 2-7 weeks

Figure 02.Ovum

Secondary: Sundathelphusa
Second intermediate host: mountain crab
Sundathelpusa philippina
o Cercaria penetrates soft parts (gills, body muscles,
viscera and legs) and encysts into a metacercaria
o Crab may be infected by eating infected snails

METACERCARIA
Definitive host (man) acquires infection by
eating raw or insufficiently cooked crabs harboring
metacercaria

Metacercaria is round and measures from 381457 micrometers

After ingestion, metacercaria excysts in

duodenum of host
o Cysteine proteinases secreted by metacercarias
excretory bladder help in excystment and host
immune modulation

Adolescent
worm
then
traverses
through the intestinal wall, into the peritoneal
cavity, where it wanders about and embeds itself in
the abdominal wall for several days

Afterwards, returns to coelom, migrates

through diaphragm to pleural cavity where it
develops into adulthood

Completion of development in the

definitive host: 65-90 days

Can persists in man up to 20 years or

more

Can also infect dogs, cats, rats

VECTORS
Primary: Antemelania

Figure 05. Metacecaria

Figure 03. Antemelania

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OS 213: Human Disease and Treatment 3(Circulation

and Respiration)
LAB 03: PARAGONIMUS WESTERMANI
Exam 1 | Parasitology Faculty | August 25, 2013

Figure 10. Caudal part with caecum (slightly

tapered end)
Figure 06. Actual Metacercaria Specimen

ADULT
GENERAL FEATURES
An adult may be as large as a coffee bean (712mm long, 4-6mm wide, and are 3.5-5mm thick)
Rounded anteriorly, slightly tapered posteriorly
Vitellaria are branched extensively
Found in pairs; threes in fibrotic capsules or
cysts in hosts lungs
Capsules have openings that allows eggs to
escape; transported by ciliary epithelium along with
lung exudates

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
Two testes are lobed, midway between
ventral sucker
Ovary located anterior to testes but posterior
to ventral sucker
Uterus is filled with eggs
They are hermaphroditic

Figure 11.Uterus in focus (filled with eggs)

Figure 07.Adult

Figure 08. Paragonimus sp. Adult Lung Fluke.

Figure 12. Male and Female Genitalia

(Key: AC=acetabulum (ventral sucker); OV=ovary;

CE=cecum; TE=testes; OS=oral sucker; UT=uterus;
EB=excretory bladder)

Figure 13.Testes (Key: Paired lobulated pink

structures)

Figure 09. Anterior end of Paragonimus sp.

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UPCM 2016 B: XVI, Walang

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OS 213: Human Disease and Treatment 3(Circulation

and Respiration)
LAB 03: PARAGONIMUS WESTERMANI
Exam 1 | Parasitology Faculty | August 25, 2013

Figure 14. Other Paragonimus structures

(Key: orange arrow=cecum; blue arrow=uterus; violet
arrow=ovary; yellow arrow=testes; surrounding
green=vitellaria)
END OF TRANSCRIPTION

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UPCM 2016 B: XVI, Walang

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