Neurocysticercosis in a Japanese woman with lung cancer who repeatedly visited endemic countries

Current status of parasitic diseases in Japan and request from a clinician to parasitologists

In Japan, parasitic diseases are rare today, with the exception of amebiasis and anisakidosis. As a result, many Japanese clinicians have limited knowledge of parasitic diseases and do not consider them important. Parasitology departments in the schools of medicine in Japan have tended to be replaced or downsized, and the amount of time spent for the teaching of parasitology to undergraduate students has been shortened. However, even in Japan, patients with parasitic diseases visit clinics or hospitals. Medical students have to learn the diagnosis and basic treatment of parasitic diseases that could cause death or serious sequelae without proper treatment, and those which are relatively frequently encountered in Japan. It is also essential for the students to know the circumstances they should suspect parasitic diseases. There is nothing restricting a parasitologist from responding to questions and requests from clinicians regarding diagnosis and treatment; rather, it is in the best interest of patients with parasitic diseases to do so based on their professional knowledge.