Strongyloides stercoralis infestation in a pediatric patient

Abstract

Strongyloidiasis is a parasitic disease, very rare in countries like Spain, caused by the Strongyloides stercoralis nematode. We present a case of a 5-year-old patient from Ecuador who came to the Emergency Department due to fever, colicky abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, and occasional vomiting of several days of evolution. In laboratory studies, a marked leukocytosis with eosinophilia stands out, for which reason a microscopic study of the stool was carried out where larval forms compatible with Strongyloides stercoralis were observed. The diagnostic strategy of parasitic infection in developed countries is highly influenced by the low prevalence and diversity of the parasitic species, causing the diagnosis, on many occasions, to be a challenge. In the presence of eosinophilia and abdominal symptoms, it is recommended to orient the diagnosis towards a possible infection of parasitic origin to make an early diagnosis of the infection and avoid possible serious complications.