Histopathological and Immunological Diagnosis for Parasitic Zoonoses

Summary

Endemicity of parasitic diseases is largely dependent on the socioeconomic conditions and lifestyle of the population. Rapid improvement of public health conditions together with mass screening and mass treatment has brought about a drastic decrease in the prevalence of soiltransmitted helminthic diseases in Japan. Conversely, imported parasitic diseases are gradually increasing along with the expansion of international activities. In between these changes, domestic foodborne parasitic zoonoses are, although they are still endemic in some areas of Japan, somewhat ignored not only by clinicians but also by parasitologists. Because many domestic foodborne parasitic zoonoses are a kind of visceral larva migrans, these diseases are often misdiagnosed as malignancies. Therefore, although the main focus of this symposium is the internationalization of parasitic diseases, I prefer to focus on the diagnostic procedures of parasitic zoonoses that are currently endemic in Japan.