A 70yearold man diagnosed with colon cancer had five parasites found in the bile ducts in the abdominal area during a cholangioscopy. The New England Journal of Medicine published a video of the worms, which belong to the flatworms, on Thursday (28). The case was registered in Guangzhou, China.
The parasites found were identified as Clonorchis sinensis, a species of worm that lives in the bile ducts, gallbladder or liver. This type of flatworm is very common in East Asia and infection occurs after eating raw or undercooked freshwater fish.
The elderly man was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in his colon a week before learning of the parasites during tests to detect the disease. Acute infections caused by this parasite are usually asymptomatic.
Typically, worms are identified by the presence of parasite eggs in feces, which is not the case in older people, the article said. The flatworms were removed and the elderly man was given medication.
Journalist, graduate of PUC Minas. Minas Gerais, passionate about sports, music and entertainment. Before Itatiaia it ran via Record's R7 portal.