Pulmonary paragonimiasis in childhood. A cause of persistent pneumonia and hemoptysis.

A 4-year-old Filipino girl, a recent immigrant to Hawaii, had hemoptysis, and a chest roentgenogram disclosed diffuse infiltrates of the right lung. Microscopic examination of a morning gastric aspirate showed numerous golden-brown, operculated ova, and microscopic examination of sputum and stool specimens confirmed these ova to be those of the lung fluke, Paragonimus westermani. She responded favorably to bithionol therapy and was asymptomatic and growing normally 2 1/2 years after therapy.