Acute case of this rare infection caused worms to crawl under man’s skin; know more

According to the World Health Organization, these nematodes are transmitted through contact between human skin and contaminated soil. They then “penetrate the human host and reach the intestine where they mature into adults and produce eggs,” the website wrote.

Adding, Dr Ritesh Shah, MD, Senior Consultant Physician at Bhatia Hospital said, “Strongyloides stercoralis is a parasitic roundworm belonging to nematodes, and is commonly called Threadworm. It is mainly found in tropical and subtropical areas, and infection is most common with poor sanitation and in rural communities.”

The 64-year-old man, after experiencing mild diarrhoea and an itchy rash, reported to the University Hospital in Madrid where doctors revealed that he had contracted Strongyloides stercoralis. (Source: Freepik)

He further noted that initial signs include localised pruritic erythematous rash at the site of skin penetration, and the patient may develop a dry cough as the larva migrates from the lungs up to the trachea. “After larva gets swallowed, diarrhoea, constipation, and abdominal pain can occur.”

The doctors explained that the strongyloides are generally asymptomatic, often going undetected for years, which they suspect was initially the case with the man, reported the New York Post. However, what led to his symptoms surfacing was the hormone therapy for malignant spinal cord compression that suppressed his immune system, effectively causing the parasites to proliferate.

Therefore, the patient went into a state of hyperinfection, a potentially fatal condition in which the abundance of larvae can trigger sepsis and organ failure. It reportedly snowballed to the point where the worms were seen wriggling under his skin.

Larva Currens in Strongyloides Hyperinfection Syndrome.

NEJM 2022; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMicm2115708 pic.twitter.com/AfZwKrSKV9

— Mauricio Ambriz (@AmbrizMau) April 22, 2022

Doctors drew squiggles to indicate the initial sites of infection, and photos showed red welt-like rashes ridding the man’s skin. The larvae were also visible in the man’s stool samples.

Luckily, the man was able to receive effective treatment with powerful anti-parasitic drugs, and his rash and diarrhea subsided. “After treatment with oral Ivermectin, the patient’s rash and diarrhoea subsided,” a hospital spokesperson told the New York Post.

Concluding, Dr Shah said, “The case highlights the potential risks that workers in certain occupations face and importance of proper hygiene.”

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