An outbreak of Paragonimus westermani infection among Cambodian technical intern trainees in Japan, exhibiting various extrapulmonary lesions.

We encountered an outbreak of paragonimiasis among Cambodian technical intern trainees (TITs) at a food-processing factory in Fukuoka, Japan. The patients were 20-28 years old, seven females and two males, who had been in Japan for one to four years. All of them had consumed raw or undercooked Japanese mitten crab they purchased at a local grocery store near their training place.

Histological characteristics of gastric mucosa prior to Helicobacter pylori eradication may predict gastric cancer.

Objective: Although Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication has been shown to inhibit gastric cancer, it does not completely suppress it. Therefore, risk factors of gastric cancer development following H.

Evaluation of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor-induced small bowel injury: randomized cross-over study compared with loxoprofen in healthy subjects.

Aim: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have the potential to injure the mucosa of the upper digestive tract and small bowel, whereas celecoxib (a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor) has less influence on the entire digestive tract mucosa. The present study was conducted to compare the extents of small bowel mucosal injury induced by celecoxib and loxoprofen (the most frequently used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Japan).

Methods: Ten healthy adult males were given celecoxib (200 mg/day, Group C) and loxoprofen (180 mg/day, Group L) in a cross-over design for 14 days, and the influence of each drug on small bowel mucosa was evaluated by comparing pre- and post-treatment capsule endoscopy findings.

Efficacy of rebamipide for low-dose aspirin-related gastrointestinal symptoms.

Gastrointestinal symptoms are a problematic issue for patients who take low-dose aspirin for long time. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the efficacy of combination therapy with proton pump inhibitor and rebamipide. This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study.

Helicobacter pylori eradication improves gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in long-term observation.

Background And Aim: Helicobacter pylori has been shown to cause atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia (IM), both of which are precancerous lesions. To clarify the mechanism by which H. pylori eradication prevents gastric cancer, we monitored atrophy and IM improvement in gastric mucosa over a long period after H.

Ten-year prospective follow-up of histological changes at five points on the gastric mucosa as recommended by the updated Sydney system after Helicobacter pylori eradication.

Background: Atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia (IM) are well known as precancerous lesions of gastric cancer. The present study evaluated the gastric mucosa for 10 years after H. pylori eradication at five points of the stomach as recommended by the updated Sydney system to clarify the relationship between H.

Gastritis associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Infectious mononucleosis is a self-limiting clinical syndrome caused by primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. EBV-associated gastritis, however, has rarely been documented. We report a case of a 17-year-old woman who presented with fever, sore throat, and epigastric pain.

Cap polyposis (CP) which relapsed after remission by avoiding straining at defecation, and was cured by Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy.

A 52-year-old woman was diagnosed with cap polyposis (CP) with characteristic clinical, endoscopic, and histological features. By avoiding straining at defecation, her symptoms improved temporarily, however recrudesced. She was diagnosed with Helicobacter pylori (H.

The efficacy of diffusion-weighted imaging for the detection and evaluation of acute pancreatitis.

Background/aims: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that evaluates the random motion of water molecules in biological tissues. The clinical utility of DWI has been established for acute stroke and brain tumors. Recent technical advancements in MRI have enabled DWI for the body and several studies have revealed the efficacy of DWI for detecting various diseases.

The efficacy of diffusion-weighted imaging for the detection of colorectal cancer.

Background/aims: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a new magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique that evaluates the diffusion of water molecules. Its clinical usefulness in the acute stage of cerebral infraction has been established. Recent technical developments have enabled DWI for human body and the usefulness of DWI for detecting malignant tumors such as liver, kidney, ovary, and breast tumors has been reported.

Acute pancreatitis successfully diagnosed by diffusion-weighted imaging: a case report.

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is an established diagnostic method of acute stroke. The latest advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology have greatly expanded the utility of DWI in the examination of various organs. Recent studies have revealed the usefulness of DWI for imaging of the liver, kidney, ovary, and breast.

Usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for the detection of pancreatic cancer: 4 case reports.

The clinical utility of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) was originally established for acute stroke; however, recent studies suggest that DWI may be more sensitive and specific for the detection and staging of malignant tumors than either computed tomography (CT) or ultrasonography (US). We herein present 4 cases of pancreatic cancer that were detected by DWI and subsequently discuss the efficacy of DWI for the diagnosis pancreatic cancer. We performed both DWI and dynamic CT examinations on 4 patients with pancreatic cancer.

Diffusion-weighted imaging is a feasible method for screening colorectal cancer: report of a case.

The liver is one of the most common sites for metastatic disease. It is sometimes difficult to detect the primary site. We describe herein the feasibility of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for searching primary site of liver metastases.

The usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for the detection of gastric cancer.

Background/aims: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is already utilized in the important clinical diagnosis of brain ischemia and also for differentiating brain abscesses from metastatic brain tumors. Recent technical developments make DWI of the body feasible. Several studies have revealed the usefulness of DWI for the diagnosis of liver, ovary, parotid gland, kidney, and breast tumors.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia that occurred two years after the diagnosis of adult Still's disease.

A 25-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with steroid-resistant Adult Still's Disease (ASD) in August 2000. No evidence of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) had been found during admissions in 2000 and 2001. In August 2002, he was diagnosed with CML with a peripheral white blood count of 69,940/microl and positivity for Philadelphia chromosome and BCR/ABL fusion gene on bone marrow aspiration.

[A case of amyopathic dermatomyositis with systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma presenting abnormal vermiculation].

A 24-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to our hospital in January 2000 with daily diarrhea, abdominal distention, and abdominal pain. Raynaud's phenomenon with erythroderma desquamativum eruptions had been found in 1992. In 1999, small intestinal transillumination showed dilation of the second and third portion of the duodenum.