Animals Involved
Cats, dogs, rats, other fisheating mammals, possibly birds are definitive hosts; fish (and snails) are intermediate hosts
Known Distributions
Human illness mainly in Asia, also reported in Siberia; parasites have been found in Europe
Probable Means of Spreading
Ingestion of undercooked freshwater fish containing encysted larvae
Clinical Manifestations in People
Diarrhea with mucus, anorexia, mild epigastric pain or abdominal cramps; malabsorption, weight loss if high parasite burden