[A case of strongloidiasis with hyperinfection syndrome]

A 73-year-old Korean male was admitted to Jeil hospital with clinical complaints of backache, cough, sputum, vomiting and diarrhea. He had a history of long term administration of prednisolone. At admission he was comatose and showed generalized pitting edema and anasarca. Laboratory data revealed leukocytosis, hyperproteinemia with hypoalbuminemia, sepsis, anemia and brown-colored urine. Stool examination revealed rhabditiform nematode larvae. By fecal cultivation, filariform larvae of Strogyloides were obtained and the patient was diagnosed as hyperinfection syndrome due to S. stercoralis infection. On the 3rd day of hospitalization, albendazole treatment was started and continued for 4 days. On the 7th dsy of hospitalization, sputum revealed filariform larvae. Total 619 parasitic adult females, expelled by chemotherapy, were collected from the diarrheal stool. However, the patient was discharged hopelessly and died at home.