Case #329 – August, 2012
A seven-year-old boy had an ova-and-parasite (O&P) stool examination performed as part of a required refugee screening. Laboratorians at the state health department observed what they believed to be a few eggs within the size range of 110-120 micrometers. A trematode infection was suspected and images of the eggs were captured and submitted to DPDx for diagnostic assistance. The DPDx team requested that an aliquot of the concentrate be sent for further examination. Figures A–D show what was observed at 200x magnification. The objects of interest measured 115 x 72 micrometers on average. What is your diagnosis? Based on what criteria?
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D
Images presented in the DPDx case studies are from specimens submitted for diagnosis or archiving. On rare occasions, clinical histories given may be partly fictitious.
DPDx is an educational resource designed for health professionals and laboratory scientists. For an overview including prevention, control, and treatment visit www.cdc.gov/parasites/.