Strongyloides stercoralis: a rare and severe presentation in a pregnant woman

Antonio Beltrán Rosel1, Isabel Sanjoaquín Conde2, Ana Pérez Muñoz3

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Lozano Blesa University Hospital. Zaragoza, Spain.

The New Microbiologica
|December 10, 2019
PubMed

Strongyloides stercoralis is a parasitic nematode with a worldwide distribution. It can go from an asymptomatic infection to a life-threatening hyperinfection syndrome. Here, we report a case of intestinal obstruction due to S. stercoralis in a pregnant woman. This condition, as well as severe strongyloidiasis in pregnant women, is seldomly reported. In this case, Human T-lymphotropic Virus 1 (HTLV-1) coinfection was confirmed, a well-known risk factor for a more severe presentation of strongyloidiasis. We suggest that HTLV status should be screened in every severe S. stercoralis infection, or when, despite a correct treatment, a relapse is observed.

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