Opisthorchiasis

Opisthorchiasis
Classification and external resources
Specialty	infectious disease
ICD-10	B66.0
ICD-9-CM	121.0
DiseasesDB	29303
Patient UK	Opisthorchiasis
MeSH	D009889
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Opisthorchiasis is a parasitic disease caused by species in the genus Opisthorchis (specifically, Opisthorchis viverrini and Opisthorchis felineus). Chronic infection may lead to cholangiocarcinoma, a malignant cancer of the bile ducts.

Medical care and loss of wages caused by Opisthorchis viverrini in Laos and in Thailand costs about $120 million annually. Infection by Opisthorchis viverrini and other liver flukes in Asia affect the poor and poorest people. Opisthorchiasis is on the World Health Organization's list of neglected tropical diseases.

Symptoms of opisthorchiasis (caused by Opisthorchis spp.) are indistinguishable from clonorchiasis (caused by Clonorchis sinensis). About 80% of infected people have no symptoms, though they can have eosinophilia. Asymptomatic infection can occur when there are less than 1000 eggs in one gram in feces. Infection is considered heavy when there are 10,000-30,000 eggs in one gram of feces. Symptoms of heavier infections with Opisthorchis viverrini may include: diarrhoea, epigastric and upper right quadrant pain, lack of appetite (anorexia), fatigue, yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice) and mild fever.

These parasites are long-lived and cause heavy chronic infections that may lead to accumulation of fluid in the legs (edema) and in the peritoneal cavity (ascites), enlarged non-functional gall-bladder and also cholangitis, which can lead to periductal fibrosis, cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, obstructive jaundice, hepatomegaly and/or fibrosis of the periportal system.

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