Review
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 14, 2010; 16(6): 698-702
Published online Feb 14, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i6.698
Capillaria hepatica in China
Chao-Ding Li, Hui-Lin Yang, Ying Wang
Chao-Ding Li, Hui-Lin Yang, Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow 215006, Jiangsu Province, China
Ying Wang, Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow 215006, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: Li CD, Yang HL and Wang Y all contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Hui-Lin Yang, Professor, Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow 215006, Jiangsu Province, China. hlyangsd@126.com
Telephone: +86-512-67780429 Fax: +86-512-67780999
Received: October 11, 2009
Revised: December 9, 2009
Accepted: December 16, 2009
Published online: February 14, 2010
Abstract

Capillaria hepatica (C. hepatica) is a parasitic nematode causing hepatic capillariasis in numerous mammals. Ecologic studies showed that the first hosts of C. hepatica were rodents, among which rats had relatively high infection rates, which explains why C. hepatica spreads globally. Anatomical studies showed that the liver was the principal site of colonization by these parasites and physical damage tended to occur. Although C. hepatica might lead to serious liver disorders, relevant clinical reports were rare, because of the non-specific nature of clinical symptoms, leading to misdiagnosis. This review mainly focuses on the biological characteristics and epidemiology of C. hepatica in China and histopathologic changes in the liver, with expectation of gaining a better understanding of the disease and seeking more effective treatment.

Keywords: Capillaria hepatica; Enoplida infections; Liver diseases; Host-parasite interactions; Diagnosis; Treatment