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Repeated Visits to a Woman With Suspected Worms Discharged From the Urethra-A Case Study
Shuqian Cai1, Xiaoping Xu1, Junchi Xue1
1Department of Laboratory Medicine Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Jinhua China.
Abstract:
A 58-year-old female presented with a 6-month history of recurrent "worms" found in her toilet, which she suspected originated from her urinary tract. Physical examination was unremarkable. Laboratory analysis revealed motile, blood-red worm-like organisms measuring 25-35 mm in length, initially suspected to be Dioctophyma renale larvae. However, parasitic screening tests were negative, and microscopic examination identified setae characteristic of oligochaetes. Further investigation revealed these organisms only appeared in the first-floor toilet. Subsequent sterile urine collection showed no recurrence, confirming environmental earthworm contamination rather than true parasitosis. This case highlights the importance of morphological evaluation and proper specimen collection in differentiating parasitic infections from environmental contaminants.
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