Infect Chemother.  2009 Apr;41(2):105-108. 10.3947/ic.2009.41.2.105.

Observation of the Free-living Adults of Strongyloides stercoralis from a Human Stool in Korea

• Hong YH
• Kim JW
• Rheem IS
• Kim JS
• Kim SB
• Chai JY
• Guk SM
• Lee SH
• Seo M

• KMID: 2170259
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2009.41.2.105

Abstract

A 76-year-old Korean man living in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, visited one University Hospital with dyspnea and abdominal pain. He has been undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for the past three years for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Abdominal pain developed 10 days ago, and became worse several days prior to coming to the emergency room. Physical examination revealed tenderness over the umbilicus. Eosinophil count was 22% without increase in the number of white blood cells. Stool examination showed adult and larval nematodes, which were subsequently identified as free-living adult worms and rhabditiform larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis. Follow-up stool examination performed six days later demonstrated only rhabditiform larvae of S. stercoralis. This is the first report on the recovery of free- living adult worms from human stool in the world.

Keyword

Strongyloides stercoralis; Free-living adult; Stool

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Adult
Aged
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
Dyspnea
Emergencies
Eosinophils
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Korea
Larva
Leukocytes
Physical Examination
Strongyloides
Strongyloides stercoralis
Umbilicus

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 A rhabditoid larva of Strongyloides stercoralis found in the patient's stool, showing a characteristic rhabditiform esophagus (arrowhead). Bar = 36.3 µm.

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  Figure 2 A pair of adult S. stercoralis found in stool examination. (A) Female adult of S. stercoralis, showing its pointed tail. The body was filled with intrauterine eggs, and a short vulva was seen (arrow). Bar = 83.0 µm. (B) Male adult of S. stercoralis. Inside the curved tail, two spicules are seen (arrowhead). Bar = 39.4 µm.

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  Figure 3 A male worm and a female one are copulating. Bar=100 µm.

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