Fatal disseminated stronglyloidiasis presenting as acute abdominal distress in an urban child

Strongyloides colitis is an often misdiagnosed lethal infection that resembles ulcerative colitis: first case of colon perforation in an adult

“…Strongyloides stercoralis is a helminth that infects the small intestine of humans, particularly the duodenum and the upper jejunum, but is extremely rare in the colon 1,2 . This is the first time that a colonic perforation is described in an adult and the second in the global population 3 …”

“…Its infection is asymptomatic in 50% of cases or manifests mild gastrointestinal symptoms. In immunocompromised individuals, however, it may lead to a devastating disease leading to a 90% mortality rate 2–4 . The usual symptoms are nausea, diarrhoea, haematochezia and diffuse abdominal pain, similar to ulcerative colitis 2,5 .…”