A 77-year-old man presented with years of full-body itching and skin lumps due to a superinfection. On 24/6, doctors at Hai Duong Hospital for Tropical Diseases confirmed he had large liver fluke and threadworm infections. These parasites can persist, silently damaging organs. After one month of treatment, his health improved, with reduced itching and fewer skin lesions.

Large liver flukes are parasites residing primarily in the liver and bile ducts. Humans contract this infection by consuming raw aquatic vegetables or drinking water containing larvae. Once in the body, larvae migrate to the liver, causing inflammation, tissue damage, abdominal pain, fever, fatigue, or liver dysfunction.

Threadworms parasitize human intestines, entering through skin contact with contaminated soil. This worm is dangerous due to its ability to self-reinfect within the body, existing silently for years, even decades, without obvious symptoms. In immunocompromised individuals, threadworms can proliferate, spreading to organs and causing severe complications.

Doctors recommend cooking food thoroughly, boiling water, and limiting raw blood pudding, undercooked meat, raw seafood, and improperly processed aquatic vegetables. Individuals working in agriculture or contacting soil should wear protective footwear and gloves to reduce parasitic infection through the skin.

Household pets require regular deworming. When persistent symptoms appear, such as unexplained itching, recurrent rashes, abdominal pain, or digestive disorders, early medical examination is advisable.

Thuy Quynh