Diphyllobothriasis was first reported in Malaysia in 2002. We are reporting a second case of diphyllobothriasis in Malaysia. The patient was a 37-year-old Chinese male seen at the outpatient clinic with a complaint of passing strands of white color flat worm in his stool. He had no other abdominal complaints. Laboratory and physical examinations were normal. Diphyllobothrium latum was confirmed by examination of the gravid proglottids passed out and the typical operculated eggs expelled from the ruptured proglottids. The patient had a history of eating raw fish. He was treated with a single dose of praziquantel.
Study site: Outpatient clinic, University Malaya Specialist Center (UMSC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Diphyllobothriasis is a disease caused by infection with adult tapeworms of the genus Diphyllobothrium. Humans acquire the infection by consuming the raw or inadequately cooked flesh, roe, liver, or other organs of infected fish. Diphyllobothrium latum infection has not been reported in Malaysia; we are reporting the first case. The patient was a 62 year old Chinese male seen at the outpatient clinic with complaints of watery stools and slight abdominal discomfort for four days. Physical examination was normal. He was treated for diarrhea. Two days after treatment, he passed out intact off-white proglottids in his stool. Diphyllobothriasis was confirmed by examination of these gravid proglottids; typical operculated eggs were seen after rupturing the gravid proglottids. The patient had a history of eating sashimi (Japanese raw fish). He was treated with a single dose of praziquantel and had been well since.
Study site: Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia