Taxonomical and Ecological Studies on the Lung Fluke, Paragonimus in the Pacific Area, with Special Reference to South-East Asia.

In Japan, Angustassiminea nitida var. was found to be a new snail host for P. iloktsuenensis on Amami-Oshima Is. and for P ohirai on Tanegashimo Is. of Kagoshima Prefecture. By using a scanning electron microscope, the body surface of cercariae of P. miyazakii and P. iloktsuenensis as well as eggshells of P. kellicotti, P. mexicanus and P. peruvianus were clearly demonstrated. Outside Japan, P. macrorchis and P. siamensis were recognized in Ceylon, and Parathelphusa rugosa and ceylonensis were decided as the crab host for the former and the latter fluke, respectively. P. siamensis was recognized also in India. In Laos, adults of P. heterotremus were removed from the human lungs, showing medical importance of this fluke in Laos and in Thailand. In Korea, two forms of Paragonimus were noted from Eriocheir japonicus on Cheju Is. In Peru, the metacercaria of P. peruvianus was clarified for the first time, and it was concluded that the human disease in Cajamarca Province is not caused by P. westermani, but by the indigenous lung fluke, P. Peruvianus. Author