Korean J Parasitol.  2010 Mar;48(1):75-78. 10.3347/kjp.2010.48.1.75.

Intestinal Helminthic Infections Diagnosed by Colonoscopy in a Regional Hospital during 2001-2008

• Do KR
• Cho YS
• Kim HK
• Hwang BH
• Shin EJ
• Jeong HB
• Kim SS
• Chae HS
• Choi MG

• KMID: 1102791
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2010.48.1.75

Abstract

The present study investigated characteristics of 24 parasite infection cases detected during colonoscopy in a regional hospital from January 2001 to December 2008. Sixteen patients were confirmed with Trichuris trichiura infection, 6 patients were with Ascaris lumbricoides infection, 1 patient with Enterobius vermicularis infection, and 1 patient with Anisakis infection. Among them, 7 patients (43.8%) were asymptomatic. Colonoscopy findings were normal in 18 patients (75.0%). Among the patients with T. trichiura infection, colonoscopy showed several erosions in 2 patients (8.3%) and non-specific inflammation of the affected segment of the colon in 3 patients (12.5%). In 1 patient with anisakiasis, colonoscopy revealed a markedly swollen colonic wall. Stool examinations were performed before treatment in 7 patients (29.2%) and were all negative for parasite eggs or worms. These results suggest that colonoscopy is a useful diagnostic approach for parasitic infections even for asymptomatic patients and for patients with negative stool examinations.

Keyword

Trichuris trichiura; Ascaris lumbricoides; Enterobius vermicularis; Anisakis; colonoscopy

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged, 80 and over
Animals
Anisakis/isolation & purification
Ascaris lumbricoides/isolation & purification
*Colonoscopy
Enterobius/isolation & purification
Feces/parasitology
Female
Helminthiasis/*diagnosis/*epidemiology/pathology
Hospitals
Humans
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*diagnosis/*epidemiology/pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Republic of Korea
Trichuris/isolation & purification
Young Adult