Diagnosis of pulmonary strongyloidiasis by bronchoalveolar lavage

Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed on a patient with disseminated strongyloidiasis and 4.5 X 10(7) cells/65 ml of lavage fluid were recovered. Eighty-five percent of cells were polymorphonuclear leukocytes; 15 percent were pulmonary alveolar macrophages. Rhabditiform larvae (1 X 10(4)) were recovered in 65 ml of lavage fluid. This is the first report of bronchoalveolar lavage used in diagnosing disseminated strongyloidiasis.