A genus of large tropical parasitic flukes that are particularly prevalent in the Far East. The adults of P. westermani live in the lungs of man, where they cause destruction and bleeding of the tissues. However, they may also be found in other organs of the body. Eggs are passed out in the sputum and the larvae undergo their development in two other hosts, a snail and a crab.
A type of flatworm known as flukes that can be transmitted from animals to humans.