KOREASCHOLAR

Sparganosis is a rare parasitic disease caused by the infection of plerocercoid tapeworm larvae of the genus Spirometra. Up to date many cases of oral sparganosis had been diagnosed from biopsy specimens in Korea, however, in this study a 14 years old male showed an oral sparganosis in his buccal nodule producing its eggs, which were extruded through the ulcerated surface of buccal nodule. In the cytological observation for the pus‐like exudates many ovoid parasite eggs were found with a lot of inflammatory cells, which were mostly composed of eosinophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). The eggs were measured about 50x50x80 μm, and had an operculum without opercular shoulder. In the subsequent biopsy examination the buccal nodule disclosed a diffuse granulomatous lesion with tunnel‐like spaces containing eosinophilic materials of parasite tegument, also infiltrated with a lot of eosinophilic PMNs. Therefore, we diagnosed it oral sparganosis producing its eggs with the characteristic features of sparganum granuloma in the cytological and histological observations, and also suggested that the cytological finding of parasitic eggs would be helpful to confirm the parasitic infection of sparganum matured enough to produce its eggs.

Ⅰ. Introduction
 Ⅱ. Case report
 Ⅲ. Discussion
 Ⅳ. References

• 김연숙(Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Health Science, Cheongju University) | Yeon Sook Kim
• 이석근(Department of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, Gangneung‐Wonju National University) | Suk Keun Lee correspondence