Ascaris lumbricoides in the Main Biliary Duct as a Cause of Abdominal Pain in Young Adult

Abstract

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are between 807 million to 1.2 billion people in the world infected with Ascaris lumbricoides (also named human roundworm), one type of soil-transmitted helminth [1]. Ascariasis happens when humans and animals ingest the eggs (which is the infective form) of the parasite, that can be found in dirty hands, contaminated soil, vegetables and fruits not carefully cooked, washed or peeled. Therefore, it is a disease directly associated with precarious hygiene and sanitation, but it is also found in places where human stools are utilized as agricultural fertilizer. The global distribution of the infection is in tropical and subtropical areas, where the climate is warm and humid.The visualization of Ascaris in the biliary tree is a very uncommon finding, although its occurrence might be underdiagnosed around the world, as a cause of abdominal pain, mainly in endemic areas. This is because the worms tend to move constantly in the