[Strongyloidiasis in children. Report of 17 cases]

Results from the study of 17 strongyloides infections without other associated parasitoses seen at the Hospital del Niño, IMAN between January 1971 and June 1976 are reported. The most affected age groups were of pre-school children with no sex predominance. Patients came from the states of Veracruz, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Michoacín, Morelos, San Luis Potosí and Sinalos. Different degrees of malnutrition were found in 10 out of the 17 patients. Predominant signs or symptoms were as follows: paleness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody and mucous stools, hyporexia, hyperthermia, pain and abdominal distention. Ferreira's method for coproparasitoscopic examination was the most efficient to show Strongyloides sterocarlis larvae. Moderate eosinophilia from 10 to 14% was found in most of the patients. Treatment was carried out with thiabendazole in most of the patients. This drug proved to be quite effective in the treatment for strongyloidoisis.