Strongyloides hyperinfection in a patient with solid malignant tumor a case report

• Main Authors: Shanmugaraj GeethaBanu, Krishnarao Arthi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2020-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Public Health
• Subjects: autoinfection; hyperinfection; stool wet mount; strongyloides stercoralis; strongyloidiasis
• Online Access: http://www.ijph.in/article.asp?issn=0019-557X;year=2020;volume=64;issue=1;spage=90;epage=92;aulast=GeethaBanu

Strongyloides stercoralis is unique among the nematodes, in which it completes its life cycle inside a single human host by causing autoinfection in the host, and it causes hyperinfection leading to persistent and fatal disseminated infections in immunocompromised hosts. The present case report is about strongyloidiasis fatal hyperinfection in a patient with malignant tumor of the tongue on radiotherapy treatment, to highlight the need for clinical suspicion of strongyloidiasis in an immunocompromised host. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the mortality in strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome is alarmingly high, a case fatality rate that is almost 90%. Hence, the clinicians should be well equipped to diagnose, treat, and also prevent the fatal consequences of this lethal nematode. Detailed workup for this parasitic infection is crucial, and this case report emphasizes that a simple wet mount stool microscopic examination can clinch the diagnosis.