| Paragonimiasis is an important food-borne zoonosis caused by lung flukes of the genus Paragonimus and is a serious public health issue. The prevalence of this disease varies across 26 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China. A recent epidemiological survey showed that the rate of paragonimiasis in some areas was over 21%. Paragonimus skrjabini is a unique species found in China and the main etiological agent of extrapulmonary paragonimiasis in human. The human are infected by eating improperly cooked river crabs containing Paragonimus metacercariae, the metacercariae excyst in the hosts small intestine migrate through the intestinal wall, penetrate the peritoneal and thoracic cavities and then enter the lung, where they develop into adult worms. However, in human hosts, only a few P. skrjabini parasites reach the lung and develop into adults. Instead, most of the parasites remain in the juvenile stage and migrate into muscles, subcutaneous tissues and brain. Human Paragonimiasis skrjabini manifests as a complex set of clinical symptoms, which may result in misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.
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