Which infection may require sputum examination for diagnosis?

Paragonimus westermani, also known as the lung fluke, is a parasitic infection that primarily affects the lungs. When a person is infected with this trematode, the adult flukes reside in the lung tissue and can cause respiratory symptoms such as cough, chest pain, and hemoptysis (coughing up blood). To confirm the diagnosis of Paragonimus westermani, the examination of sputum is essential, as the eggs of the parasite can often be found in the sputum samples. This diagnostic method is particularly useful because it allows for the detection of the eggs during a productive cough when lung involvement is significant.

Other options involve different types of parasites that do not require sputum examination for diagnosis. Trichinella spiralis causes trichinosis, often diagnosed through serological tests or muscle biopsy. Wuchereria bancrofti is responsible for lymphatic filariasis and is typically diagnosed through blood samples rather than sputum. Fasciola hepatica, the liver fluke, requires bile or stool examination for its eggs, reflecting its site of infection in the gastrointestinal tract rather than the respiratory system.