Open AccessElevated serum IgG4 levels in two cases of paragonimiasis
Author(s) -
Saeki Sho,
Horio Yuko,
Hirosako Susumu,
Ichiyasu Hidenori,
Fujii Kazuhiko,
Kohrogi Hirotsugu
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
respirology case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 9
ISSN - 2051-3380
DOI - 10.1002/rcr2.110
Subject(s) - paragonimus westermani , praziquantel , paragonimiasis , medicine , antibody , immunology , eosinophilia , lung , differential diagnosis , helminthiasis , parasitic disease , pathology , disease , helminths , schistosomiasis
Paragonimiasis is a parasitic pleuropulmonary infection caused by eating raw crustaceans and wild boar meat and this infection is endemic in A sia. We herein report two cases of pulmonary P aragonimus westermani infection associated with elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin ( Ig ) G4 and dense infiltration of IgG4 ‐positive plasma cells in the lung lesions. Treatment with praziquantel resolved the pulmonary lesions and decreased the serum levels of IgG4 . IgG4 ‐related disease is a systemic disease occasionally involving the lungs and leads to increased serum levels of IgG4 . Our findings suggest that P . westermani infection requires a differential diagnosis from IgG4 ‐related diseases and the serum IgG4 level may be a potentially useful marker of P . westermani infection.