| Disease/Syndrome |
Strongyloidiasis |
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| Category |
Infection, Occupational |
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| Acute/Chronic |
Chronic |
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| Synonyms |
Strongyloides stercoralis; S. fulleborni; |
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| Biomedical References |
Search PubMed |
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| Comments |
FINDINGS: In this intestinal nematode infection, eggs hatch in the colon to become larvae that can reinfect the host either internally or externally. Infections persisting for decades have been documented. With acute infection, a pruritic rash may appear at the site of larval penetration. Migration of larvae through the lungs can produce cough, fever, dyspnea, wheezing, hemoptysis, and eosinophilia. Then, patients have diarrhea and abdominal pain. Findings in chronic infection may include: asymptomatic (50%); intermittent eosinophilia (75%); recurrent rashes of the thighs, buttocks, and perineum; a serpiginous rash (larva currens) that migrates up to 10 cm/hour; and GI symptoms with epigastric pain, diarrhea, blood in the stool; and, in heavy infections, bowel obstruction. Respiratory symptoms are uncommon in chronic, uncomplicated infections. Complications of hyperinfection include intestinal obstruction, gastrointestinal bleeding, pulmonary infection, meningitis, brain abscesses, and hepatitis. EPIDEMIOLOGY: Transmission occurs in mental hospitals and in day-care centers. Promiscuous homosexual males have increased risk. Hyperinfection occasionally occurs in immunocompetent patients, but it usually occurs in immunocompromised patients. Hyperinfection is not common in AIDS patients. Dog and cat strains of S. stercoralis occasionally infect humans. Primates are reservoirs for S. fulleborni in Africa. [CCDM, p. 516-8; ID, p. 2362-3; Guerrant, p. 1482, 1508; Merck Manual, p. 1552; Current Consult, p. 906; PPID, p. 3265] |
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| Latency/Incubation |
2 weeks to 1 month for larvae to appear in feces; |
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| Diagnostic |
Identify larvae in stool or duodenal aspirate; Detect IgG specific antibodies by EIA serological testing; |
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| ICD-9 Code |
127.2 |
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| Effective Antimicrobics |
Yes |
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| Scope |
Assumed to be endemic in tropics and subtropics; Occasionally found in industrial countries and in institutionalized patients; [Guerrant, p. 466] |
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| Reference Link |
CDC - Strongyloidiasis |
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| Image |
Google Search: larva currens |
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| Related Information in Haz-Map |
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| Symptoms/Findings |
Symptoms/Findings associated with this disease:
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| Job Tasks |
High risk job tasks associated with this disease:
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