Human infection by acanthocephalan parasites belonging to the genus Corynosoma found from small bowel endoscopy

A 73-year-old man with a suspected ileus in January 2013 and subsequently suffered melena in February 2014 was endoscopically examined. As a result of the examinations, unidentified species of Corynosoma sp. and Corynosoma villosum were recovered from the small intestine, further endoscopic diagnosis suggested relevance between abdominal pain and the present infections in the small intestine. The recovered worms were composed of gravid females with developed eggs, suggesting that these parasites can survive for a long time in the intestine after infection. In this case, the short interval between infections appears to be due to the individual's eating habits which consist of regularly consuming uncooked seafood.