Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides), the soil-transmitted helminth is the most prevalent parasitic infection of the gastrointestinal tract in developing countries. Heavy worm loads mainly due to untreated worm infestations are often associated with increased risk of severe sequelae. We report the first complicated case of A. lumbricoides causing small bowel obstruction in a 9-year-old boy that necessitated surgical intervention on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean, where cases of Ascariasis are rarely encountered.
References
[1]
Shah, J. and Shahidullah, A. (2018) Ascaris lumbricoides: A Startling Discovery during Screening Colonoscopy. Case Reports in Gastroenterology, 12, 224-229. https://doi.org/10.1159/000489486
[2]
de Lima Corvino, D.F. and Horrall, S. (2022) Ascariasis. In: StatPearls (Internet). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430796/
[3]
Kanchan, T., Wasti, H. and Acharya, J. (2015) Gastro-Intestinal Ascariasis—An Unusual Autopsy Case Report. Medico-Legal Journal, 83, 139-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/0025817215573172
[4]
Quintero, K., Durán, C., Duri, D., et al. (2012) Household Social Determinants of Ascariasis and Trichuriasis in North Central Venezuela. International Health, 4, 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inhe.2012.03.002
[5]
Riaz, M., Aslam, N., Zainab, R., et al. (2020) Prevalence, Risk Factors, Challenges, and the Currently Available Diagnostic Tools for the Determination of Helminths Infections in Human. European Journal of Inflammation, 18. https://doi.org/10.1177/2058739220959915
[6]
Mbanga, C.M., Ombaku, K.S., Fai, K.N., et al. (2019) Small Bowel Obstruction Complicating an Ascaris lumbricoides Infestation in a 4-Year-Old Male: A Case Report. Journal of Medical Case Reports, 13, Article No. 155. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-019-2103-y
[7]
Mishra, P.K., Agrawal, A., Joshi, M., et al. (2008) Intestinal Obstruction in Children Due to Ascariasis: A Tertiary Health Centre Experience. African Journal of Paediatric Surgery, 5, 65-70. https://www.afrjpaedsurg.org/text.asp?2008/5/2/65/44178 https://doi.org/10.4103/0189-6725.44178
[8]
Yetim, I., Ozkan, O.V., Semerci, E., et al. (2009) Rare Cause of Intestinal Obstruction, Ascaris lumbricoides Infestation: Two Case Reports. Cases Journal, 2, Article No. 7970. https://doi.org/10.4076/1757-1626-2-7970
[9]
Kumar, H., Jain, K. and Jain, R. (2014) A Study of Prevalence of Intestinal Worm Infestation and Efficacy of Anthelminthic Drugs. Medical Journal Armed Forces India, 70, 144-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mjafi.2013.12.009
[10]
Upadhyaya, V., Gangopadhyaya, A., Pandey, A., et al. (2006) Round Worm Intestinal Obstruction: A Single Center Study. The Internet Journal of Surgery, 12. https://ispub.com/IJS/12/2/3965
[11]
Koşmaz, K., Şenlikci, A., Süleyman, M., et al. (2021) Parasitic Infestation in Patients Undergoing Appendectomy: Retrospective Analysis of 7344 Cases. Turkish Journal of Colorectal Disease, 31, 105-108. https://cms.galenos.com.tr/Uploads/Article_47445/TJCD-32-105-En.pdf https://doi.org/10.4274/tjcd.galenos.2020.2020-7-3
[12]
Hefny, A.F., Saadeldin, Y.A. and Abu-Zidan, F.M. (2009) Management Algorithm for Intestinal Obstruction Due to Ascariasis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Turkish Journal of Trauma & Emergency Surgery, 15, 301-305. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19562557/
[13]
World Health Organization (WHO) (2022) Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/soil-transmitted-helminth-infections