Case Report a Second Case of Diphyllobothriasis in Malaysia

Diphyllobothriasis was first reported in Malaysia in 2002. We are reporting a second case of diphyllobothriasis in Malaysia. The patient was a 37-year-old Chinese male seen at the outpatient clinic with a complaint of passing strands of white color flat worm in his stool. He had no other abdominal complaints. Laboratory and physical examinations were normal. Diphyllobothrium latum was confirmed by examination of the gravid proglottids passed out and the typical operculated eggs expelled from the ruptured proglottids. The patient had a history of eating raw fish. He was treated with a single dose of praziquantel. DIPHYLLOBOTHRIASIS IN MALAYSIA Vol 37 No. 5 September 2006 897 testine and attained sexual maturity in about 5-6 weeks and start discharging eggs which are passed along with the feces. The individual worm may live for a period of 5-13 years. Diagnosis is made by looking for gravid proglottids and eggs in feces. So far, one case has been documented in Malaysia in 2002. The patient was a 62-year-old Chinese male who had a history of eating Japanese raw fish (sashimi) (Rohela et al, 2002). We are reporting a second case of diphyllobothriasis in a Malaysian Chinese male.