Echinostoma hortense is an intestinal fluke of the class Trematoda, which has been found to infect humans in East Asian countries such as Korea,[1] China, and Japan.

In the water, the cercariae seek out and penetrate the body surface or orifice of a second intermediate host, which is usually a fish, leech, tadpole, or another snail.

[5] Echinostoma hortense are slender (7.92 × 1.33 mm), and has a characteristic head crown equipped with 27 collar spines around the subterminal oral sucker.

This is evidenced by the lab results that have shown severer mucosal damage and even ulcerations of the mucosa in rats infected with E. hortense.

Furthermore, case studies in humans have shown that manifestations of severe ulcerative lesions in the duodenum, urinary incontinence, and hematemesis are also possible.

Patients who prefer a more definite diagnosis should consent to a gastroduodenoscopy, primarily in the upper small intestine, to confirm the presence of the adult fluke.