Organism: plerocercoid larva of a Spirometra species (Asia, South America)
Parasitic group: tapeworm
Risk factors:
(1) living in or travel to an area endemic for sparganosis
(2) eating raw or poorly cooked meat (pork, poultry, reptile, rodents, etc)
(3) drinking contaminated water
The patient presents with scrotal pain and/or mass, which usually prompts an imaging study which localizes a poorly defined mass in the subcutaneous tissue. Rarely there may be a testicular mass.
On ultrasound shows a heterogenous echogenic mass, typically with internal serpiginous tubular structures. The mass may be surrounded by a hypoechoic ring (“tubule in tubule”).
On CT scan the presence of punctate calcifications may be seen.
The patient will have positive antibody on ELISA testing. A negative ELISA test may be more helpful in excluding the disease in an endemic region.
