Metagonimus

yokogawai
Introduction
• Metagonimus is a genus of family Heterophyidae.
• Cause disease Metagonimiasis.
• Metagonimiasis was discovered by Katsurasa in 1911-1913 when he
first observed eggs of M. yokagawai in feces.
• M. takahashii was described later first by Suzuki in 1930
• M. Miyatai was describe in 1984 by Saito All three species are
hermaphrodite.
• Smallest intestinal fluke
• Kingdom
- Animalia
• Phylum Platyhelminthes
• Class Trematoda
Opisthorchida
• Order
Heterophyidae
• Family Metagonimus
• Genus Metagonimus yokogawai
• species
Worldwide distribution

• Metagonimiasis infections are endemic or potentially endemic in

following countries including

• Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, the Balkans, Spain, Indonesia, the

Philippines, Russia, India and Pakistan
Species

• Metagonimus yokagawai also called the Japanese fluke

• Metagonimus Takahashii
• Metagonimus miyatai
Transmission

Transmission requires two intermediate hosts,

- The first of which is snails, most commonly of species Thiara granifera.
- Infection is acquired through the secondary intermediate host, fish,
that haven't been thoroughly cooked. Metacercariae encyst under the
scales or in the flesh of fish
• Definitive hosts include humans and various fish eating mammals,
primarily dogs, cats, and pigs with Fish-eating birds may also be
infected metagonimiasis