Abstract
Background:
Hymenolepis diminuta, a rat tapeworm, is a rare zoonosis typically affecting children. We report the first confirmed human case in Yunnan Province, China, not able for its occurrence in an adult.
Methods:
A 42-year-old female farmer from Dali presented with unilateral painless vision loss. H. diminuta infection was diagnosed incidentally through routine stool microscopy during her ophthalmological workup.
Results:
Examination of fecal samples confirmed the presence of H. diminuta eggs. This identifies the first autochthonous human case in Yunnan Province and underscores infection in an atypical adult demographic.
Conclusion:
This case highlights the unexpected detection of a rat tapeworm in a new geographic region and age group, emphasizing the value of basic diagnostics in uncovering zoonotic diseases, even with unrelated clinical presentations.
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