Background
Case report
Case 1
Case 2
Discussion
References | Patient’s age/sex | Country | Diagnosis | Disease history | Symptoms | Abnormal inspection result | Confirmed conditions | Treatment | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Soukup et al. [11] | 28/female | Krajska zdravotni | Toxocariasis/helminthozoonosis | History of substance abuse and chronic type C hepatitis | After the second procedure, which was a vertebral body replacement via thoracotomy, the patient developed a pathologic pleural effusion with asymptomatic | A relatively high number of immunocompetent cells (6 830/1 µL), with a slight predominance of monocytes and macrophages (about 40%) and a smaller number of neutrophils (about 30%), lymphocytes (about 15%), and eosinophils (about 15%). No increase in the number of eosinophilic granulocytes and no leukocytosis were found in the blood tests | Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot were negative, microscopic evaluation was positive | Albendazole 400 mgQD/7d | No permanent sequelae of the infection |
Fan et al. [12] | 65/female | Qinghai Province in China | Cutaneous myiasis with eosinophilic pleural effusion | Occasional dietary habit of eating raw meat | Recurrent cough, occasional hemoptysis, and right chest pain | A left hydropneumothorax with partial compressive atelectasis and patchy consolidation on the right lung. Laboratory data revealed peripheral blood eosinophilia of 37.2%, with a white blood cell count of 10.4 × 109/L. Serum immunoglobulin E levels were elevated (1650 unit/mL) | Tender nodules and worm-like live organisms were observed in her upper arms and shoulders. cysticercosis IgG(+) | Albendazole (400 mg/d) for 3 days | Telephonic follow-up 1 month later indicated that the blood eosinophilia and pleural effusion were resolved |
Park et al. [13] | 21/female | Korean | Toxocariasis | None | Epigastric pain, vomiting, headache, and dizziness | Right pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, and focal ascites in the pelvic cavity. Laboratory tests revealed an elevation of eosinophils (40%) and cardiac enzymes (creatinine kinase-MB 27.6 ng/mL, high-sensitive cardiac troponin T 1.21 ng/mL). The transthoracic echocardiogram showed left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction 44%) and moderate pericardial effusion | The serologic test for parasites was positive for Toxocara and Sparganum | A combination therapy of albendazole (400 mgBID/2 weeks), praziquantel (600 mgTID/1 day), and corticosteroid (60 mgQD/6 days) | At Outpatient Clinic follow-ups and observations over the next 2 years there were no abnormal findings, including pericardial effusion or eosinophilia |
Savu et al. [14] | 43/male | Romania | Hydatidosis caused by the Echinococcus larvae | He was a heavy smoker, occasional consumer of ethanol as well as working with livestock as a shepherd | Moderate dyspnea, chest pain and weight loss | Multiple cystic formations of various sizes and liquid density within the pleural fluid | Elevated eosinophil count, Surgery was performed by right lateral thoracotomy and consisted of removal of the hydatid fluid and cysts found in the pleura. IGG-specific ELISA tests(+) | Albendazole 15 mg/kg/day for 6 days before surgery, Albendazole treatment for 1 year with 15 mg/kg/day | Follow-up showed no signs of recurrence with a normal chest X-ray and an improved lung volume function at one month, 6 months and 1 year |
Aggarwal et al. [15] | 30/male | Uttar Pradesh, India | Microfilaria/ Filariasis | None | Low-grade, intermittent fever for two years, right-sided chest pain and weight loss | Chest radiography showed a right-sided pleural effusion with normal parenchymal attenuation | Fluid cytology showed degenerated lymphocytes along with a few microfilaria, conforming to the morphology of Wuchereria Bancrofti | Diethylcarbamazine 300 mg daily in divided doses | Chest radiography repeated 6 weeks later showed complete clearance of the effusion |
Tourne M et al. [16] | 39 | Paris | Cystic echinococcosis, or hydatidosis | None | Chest pain associated with sweating and chills | Thoracic computed tomography shows two large cystic opacities with endocystic flaky images, including one ruptured in the pleura with right pleural effusion | Positive hydatidosis serology, and surgery | Treatment by albendazole | full-recovery |
Hämäläinen et al. [17] | 8/child | eastern Finland | Cystic echinococcosis (CE) or hydatidosis | None | Abdominal pain with a vigorous generalised urticarial rash, fever (38.5 °C) and a persistent cough | The ultrasound showed a considerable avocado-sized hollow (13.5 × 9 cm) with multiple lobulation | C-reactive protein (58 mg/L; norm: < 3 mg/L), Elevation of the serum eosinophil leucocytes (4.7 × 109/L; norm: 0.1–0.4 × 109/L). the direct microscopic examination of calcofluor white-stained fragments of cyst wall and cyst content showed plenty of hooks and protoscolices, surgery | Albendazole treatment (10–15 mg/kg/day divided in two doses) was continued postoperatively for a total of 3 months | Control specimens taken 1 month after deworming were PCR-negative |
Vallentin et al. [18] | 5/female | Romania | Toxocariasis | None | Asymptomatic | The chest X-ray showed an abundant left pleural effusion and a lower lobar atelectasis | A marked hypereosinophilia (2.1 × 10^9/L, with a maximum few days later of 7.2 × 10^9/L), Serological tests were positive only for Toxocara canis (by Western Blot and Elisa techniques) | Treatment with albendazole 15 mg/kg/d was initiated for 15 days | The control of the chest X-ray 6 weeks later was normal |
Oh et al. [19] | 45/male | Korea | Sparganosis | Occasional frog and snake consumption from the age of 25 years | Left lower chest pain, a total body skin rash, cough, sputum production, abdominal discomfort, and a febrile sense for 1 week | Localized pleural effusion in the left lower lobe, peripheral blood eosinophilia and eosinophilic pleural effusion were present | Percutaneous catheter drainage was performed, which revealed long worm-shaped material that was identified as a sparganum by DNA sequencing | Praziquantel | At follow-up 1 month later, he presented with normal peripheral eosinophilia and a complete clinical recovery |
Hernández et al. [20] | 34/female | Colombia | Chagas disease, caused by infection with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi | With an HIV infection, not receiving antiretroviral treatment, | Chest pain associated with dyspnea, weight loss, asthenia, adynamia, and hyporexia | Extensive pleural effusion in the right hemithorax, Brain tomography showed a bifrontal hypodense left lesion and cerebral edema, | Flagellated parasites consistent with trypomastigotes were observed in both fluids (pleural and CSF) | Therapy with nifurtimox 8 mg/kg/day was administered over the course of 4 days following diagnosis | The patient died 1 day after therapy ceased |