Distribución parcial de Paragonimus (Digenea: Troglotrematidae) en Antioquia, por presencia de metacercarias en cangrejos dulciacuícolas Distribution of Paragonimus (Digenea: Troglotrematidae) in Antioquia Province, Colombia, based on metacercariae counts in freshwater crabs

Introducción. La paragonimosis, o distomatosis pulmonar, es una enfermedad con sintomatología similar a la observada en la tuberculosis. Es causada por parásitos del género Paragonimus (Digenea: Troglotrematidae). Las personas se infectan al consumir cangrejos crudos o mal cocidos, con metacercarias del parásito. El primer foco de paragonimosis humana en Colombia se registró durante 1995 en Urrao, Antioquia, donde se hallaron dos especies de cangrejos que hospedaban el parásito. En el 2005 se capturaron cangrejos con metacercarias de Paragonimus en Medellín, lo que motivó la búsqueda del parásito en otras localidades, mediante su presencia en estos crustáceos. <br />Objetivo. Establecer la distribución de Paragonimus en Antioquia, evaluando la presencia de metacercarias en macrocrustáceos braquiuros, dulciacuícolas. <br />Materiales y métodos. Desde 2005 hasta 2007 se capturaron cangrejos en 13 municipios antioqueños. Se relajaron y sacrificaron para la búsqueda del digeneo y la identificación taxonómica. <br />Resultados. En nueve municipios se capturaron 52 cangrejos, 42 (80,76%) con metacercarias de Paragonimus. Todos los crustáceos se determinaron como Pseudothelphusidae, de los géneros Hypolobocera y Strengeriana, y se asignaron a cuatro especies. Tres se registran por primera vez como huéspedes del parásito. <br />Conclusión. Se inicia la construcción de un mapa con la distribución de Paragonimus en Antioquia que incluye por primera vez zonas urbanizadas. Se ratifican el consumo y la manipulación de los cangrejos crudos y mal cocidos como factores de riesgo para la infección humana. Se propone a los cangrejos como agentes focalizadores de paragonimosis por ser asequibles y de fácil diagnóstico.<br>Introduction. Paragonimosis or lung fluke disease courses with signs similar to those seen in tuberculosis. The causative agent is a parasite of the genus Paragonimus (Digenea: Troglotrematidae). People become infected by ingesting raw or partially cooked crabs containing metacercariae. The first focus of human paragonimosis in Colombia was recorded in the county of Urrao, where two species of crabs infected with Paragonimus were found. In 2005, crabs with Paragonimus&rsquo; metacercariae were captured near Medellín, western Colombia. This prompted a search for the parasite in other locations through its presence in the crabs. <br />Objective. To establish the distribution of Paragonimus in Antioquia, we evaluated the presence of metacercaria in freshwater brachyuran crabs. <br />Materials and methods. From 2005 to 2007, crabs were captured in 13 counties of Antioquia. The crabs were relaxed and dissected to determine presence of trematodes and then to make the taxonomic identifications. <br />Results. From 52 crabs captured in 9 counties, 42 (80.8%) were found with Paragonimus metacercariae. The crabs were identified as Pseudothelphusidae in 2 genera&mdash;Hypolobocera and Strengeriana&mdash; and were assigned to four species. Three of the species were recorded for the first time as hosts of Paragonimus. <br />Conclusions. A Paragonimus&rsquo; distribution map was constructed for Antioquia; for the first time urban zones were included. Because of the high rate of infection, the handling and consumption of raw and poorly cooked crabs pose risk factors for human infection. Because crabs are affordable and provide means of easy diagnosis, crabs are targeted as primary agents of and diagnostic tools for paragonmosis.<br />