Case Reports in Clinical Medicine

Volume 2, Issue 7 (October 2013)

ISSN Print: 2325-7075   ISSN Online: 2325-7083

Google-based Impact Factor: 0.2  Citations  

Strongyloides stercoralis in an immunocompetent adult: An unexpected cause of weight lost

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DOI: 10.4236/crcm.2013.27112    4,914 Downloads   7,648 Views  Citations

ABSTRACT

Strongyloides stercoralis infects at least 100 million humans worldwide each year, but its prevalence is underestimated. It is endemic in hot and humid climates as well as resource poor countries with inadequate sanitary conditions. The rise of international travel and immigration has a positive impact in strongyloidiasis. Due to its unique auto infection life-cycle, Strongyloides may lead to chronic infections remaining undetected for decades. Strongyloidiasis is most often asymptomatic but it has a wide range of clinical presentations. The two most severe forms of strongyloidiasis are hyperinfection and disseminated syndromes. These occur most often in patients with impaired cell mediated immunity. A 42-year-old immunocompetent man presented with chronic watery diarrhea, malaise, upper abdominal pain, anorexia and weight lost. Strongyloides stercoralis was identified in stool samples and duodenal biopsy. The patient was successfully treated with albendazole. The authors report a case of strongyloidiasis hyperinfection in an immunocompetent host 20 years away from an endemic area and make a literature review.

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Marques, L. , Rodrigues, A. , Vedes, E. and Marques, D. (2013) Strongyloides stercoralis in an immunocompetent adult: An unexpected cause of weight lost. Case Reports in Clinical Medicine, 2, 427-431. doi: 10.4236/crcm.2013.27112.

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