Fulminating strongyloidiasis complicating Indian kala-azar

Infection with Strongyloides stercoralis in an immunocompetent host usually remains unrecognized. Sometimes, however, it may cause serious problems in the immunocompromised host due to its enhanced invasiveness. We present here details of three kala-azar patients with fulminating strongyloidiasis manifested by acute diarrhoea with blood and mucus, severe dehydration, cough and dyspnoea with low peripheral blood eosinophils and filariform larvae of S. stercoralis in faeces. No larvae could be detected in the sputum in spite of radiological evidence of infiltration. The impact of albendazole was dramatic with a disappearance of parasites from the faeces and of pulmonary infiltration and an increase in blood eosinophil count. It is emphasized that S. stercoralis infection in kala-azar patients should be considered a serious infection and treated accordingly.