Table 3.
Summary of lung infections causing parasites and their management.
| Organism | Characteristics | Recommended medicine |
|---|---|---|
| B. divergens and B. microti | 1. The effect on the lung is a consequence of a systemic inflammatory response 2. Acute respiratory distress syndrome develops once the disease complicated |
Clindamycin and quinine sulfate |
| Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum | 1. Manifestations of this infection are asymptomatic shedding, acute watery diarrhea (approximately for two weeks), and persistent diarrhea 2. This microorganism targets the epithelium of the airways, gut, and biliary tract. |
Nitazoxanide, paromomycin, and indinavir |
| Dirofilaria immitis | 1. After being injected into the subcutis, this parasite travels into veins and gradually migrates to the heart 2. Parasites possibly grow in the right ventricle and are brushed into small pulmonary arteries |
Diethylcarbamazine and ivermectin |
| Entamoeba histolytica, E. dispar, and E. moshkovskii | 1. Amoebic dysentery becomes invasive in a small percentage of patients 2. The lungs may be affected by direct extension or hematogenous spread |
Metronidazole or tinidazole, paromomycin, iodoquinol, and diloxanide furoate |
| Echinococcus hatch, Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis | 1. Echinococcosis is a zoonosis that occurs wherever sheep, dogs, or other canids and humans live in close contact. 2. In bronchi, cysts may rupture and cause coughs that eliminate the protoscolices (adult larva) or portions of the cyst wall |
Mebendazole and albendazole |
| Leishmania donovani | 1. transmitted to humans by several species of the Phlebotomus sandfly 2. Pulmonary leishmaniasis has been reported in HIV-infected patients and transplant recipients. |
Pentavalent antimonial derivatives, paromomycin, and liposomal amphotericin B |
| Microsporidia species | 1. microsporidiosis in humans can occur in both immune-competent and immune-compromised hosts. 2. Pulmonary microsporidiosis is often overlooked and characterized by a few non-specific symptoms like cough, fever, and dyspnoea. |
Albendazole (Albenza) and fumagillin |
| Paragonimus species | 1. target the lung and are acquired by ingesting freshwater crabs or crayfish infected with the metacercarial larvae 2. Pulmonary paragonimiasis can cause persistent hemoptysis. |
Triclabendazole, bithionol, niclofolan, praziquantel, and fenbendazole |
| P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax | 1. The disease is transmitted by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. 2. The clinical impact of malaria on the lung may range from mild to severe respiratory insufficiency. |
Antimalarial drugs |
| Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma haematobium, and Schistosoma japonicum | 1. eggs transmit to humans through snail-intermediate hosts and penetrate the skin of susceptible animals and people through the free-swimming cercaria 2. Pulmonary schistosomiasis comprises both acute and chronic forms. |
Praziquantel and artesunate |
| Strongyloides stercoralis | 1. This infection may persist as asymptomatic for years 2. It auto-infects the host body |
Ivermectin, albendazole |
| Toxoplasma gondii | 1. Infection occurs by ingesting oocysts or meat-containing live microorganisms 2. This infection is asymptomatic in some cases and is commonly detected in patients with AIDS |
Pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine/clindamycin, azithromycin, and doxycycline |
| Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati | 1. Children are more prone to infection via the fecal-oral route as they are more likely to consume Toxocara eggs. 2. The larvae cross the intestinal wall and travel to many organs, including the lungs. |
Albendazole, mebendazole |
| Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense | 1. Protozoa transmitted to man by biting flies and bedbugs. 2. Pneumonitis is the most frequent lesion in the lungs, placenta membranes, and umbilical cord. |
Nifurtimox and benznidazole |