Case Report: A case of dipylidiasis in a first-trimester pregnant woman attending a routine antenatal clinic at Elmina health centre, Ghana

Abstract

Dipylidiasis is a zoonotic parasitosis caused by a canine and feline tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum which rarely infects humans, usually infants and young children. The accidental ingestion of cysticercoid infected flea Ctenocephalides felis is the cause of this cestode infection in humans. Here we report the first and a rare case of adult dipylidiasis in a first-trimester pregnant woman in Ghana. She reported at the health facility for a routine antenatal check-up with apparently no symptoms or signs of the infection at the time of the visit. Her routine stool examination revealed a single egg packet of Dipylidium caninum and was treated with a single dose of praziquantel. It is important for pathologists and laboratory technicians to be aware of the emergence of human dipylidiasis in Ghana. A conscious effort should be aimed at the creation of awareness among pet owners and the general population of the public health importance of zoonotic parasites that infect pets and domestic animals.