Soleymani E, Davoodi L, Shayesteh Azar S, Mirbadiei SR, Parandin F, Azimi A, Mizani A, Khorshidvand Z, Fakhar M. Fatal Disseminated Strongyloidiasis in an Immunosuppressed Patient During COVID-19 Pandemic.
Acta Parasitol 2023;
68:711-717. [PMID:
37532918 DOI:
10.1007/s11686-023-00705-x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
This report presents a fatal case of disseminated strongyloidiasis in a patient with myasthenia gravis and diabetes mellitus who had received corticosteroid therapy.
CASE REPORT
The patient was a 67-year-old woman living in a rural area endemic for Strongyloides stercoralis in northern Iran. Disseminated strongyloidiasis was diagnosed in the advanced stage of the disease, with enormous numbers of larvae demonstrated in direct smears prepared from stool samples and stomach biopsy. Despite treatment with ivermectin and antibiotics, the patient succumbed to the severity of the infection.
CONCLUSION
Clinicians working in endemic areas should be mindful of the possibility of gastric involvement in strongyloidiasis, even if symptoms are nonspecific. We recommend that high-risk individuals be screened for S. stercoralis prior to immunosuppressive therapy in endemic regions to raise awareness and prevent similar cases.
Collapse