The Halzoun Syndrome involves a sense of suffocation or pharyngeal irritation caused by the presence of parasites attached to or migrating over/under the pharyngeal mucosa. The term is Syrian.
Parasite
Acquisition
Fasciola hepatica
eating raw animal livers; the adult fluke migrates and attaches to the pharyngeal wall
Pentastomida (pentastomiasis, tongue worm)
eating a definitive host (snake, lizard) raw or poorly cooked; eating meat of an intermediate host (goat, sheep) containing larvae
leeches
(I am not sure I want to know how)
Ascariasis
migration of adult worms
Clinostomum complanatum
Symptoms:
(1) throat discomfort or irritation
(2) paroxysmal coughing
(3) sneezing
(4) dysphagia
(5) vomiting
(6) dyspnea
(7) rarely suffocation
Diagnosis involves demonstration of the parasite (coughing up intact parasite, endoscopy, surgical biopsy, autopsy).
Differential diagnosis:
(1) anxiety disorder
(2) gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
(3) asthma (although this may arise in a patient with parasitic infestation)
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