1/3. Hookworm infestation in a 3-month old female.BACKGROUND: Intestinal helminthiasis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and children particularly in the tropics and subtropics. This report highlights the possibility of hookworm infestation in infancy. METHOD: A case report of hookworm infestation in a three-month old infant who was managed in the University of Port Harcourt teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt in May 2001 for failure to thrive and recurrent severe anaemia. RESULT: The patient was admitted in the children's emergency ward with passage of dark watery stools, fever, excessive crying and severe anemia and was transfused twice. Stool microscopy revealed numerous ova of hookworm and she was treated with albendazole. Three days after administration of anti-helminthic, stools became formed with normal colour and temperature was normal. She gained weight before discharge home. CONCLUSION: Hookworm infestation should be suspected as a cause of severe anaemia in infants in communities with a high risk of infestation such as fishing port communities. To the best of my knowledge, symptomatic hookworm infestation in the first year of life has not been previously documented in nigeria.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = helminthiasis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/3. An unusual case of hyper-production of IgE, treated by plasmapheresis.A 15-year-old boy with severe inflammatory skin lesions from an early age was found to have extremely elevated serum IgE levels (up to 376.000 IU/ml). His skin showed positive direct immunofluorescence for IgE and he had peripheral and bone marrow eosinophilia. No evidence for atopic disease was found, but he suffered intestinal helminthic infection of moderate intensity. He showed a somewhat depressed cell mediated immune response but a normal polymorphonuclear function. Various treatments that included anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-parasitic, anti-mycotic and puva therapy did not significantly improve his condition A therapeutic test using plasmapheresis produced marked, though short-lived clinical improvement. We believe that this case might result from the superimposition of the stimulatory effects of intestinal helminthiasis on a background of intrinsic hyper-production of IgE.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = helminthiasis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/3. eosinophilia, elevated immunoglobulin e level and chronic enteritis due to intestinal helminthiasis.Recurrent urticaria, abdominal pain, peripheral eosinophilia, hyperimmunoglobulin E and small bowel abnormalities on roentgenograms prompted evaluation of a 36 year old man for intestinal parasitism. Evidence for helminthiasis as the cause of his symptoms included changing antibody titers to helminth antigens and a dramatic response to therapy. Helminth larvae or eggs were not recovered. diagnosis of strongyloidiasis, the most likely cause of the illness, is discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5keywords = helminthiasis (Clic here for more details about this article) |