Parasites problem blown out of proportion?

Here's just a sample of what I've read about my pet parasite, the pinworm.....all this is just from one site, PubMed, all published medical reports.

Here are some of the headlines and farther down are more detailed reports......

Infestation of Enterobius vermicularis in the nasal mucosa of a 12 yr old boy--a case report.

A pelvic mass due to infestation of the fallopian tube with Enterobius vermicularis.

[Enterobius vermicularis causing symptoms of acute appendicitis]

Assessment of frequency, transmission, and genitourinary complications of enterobiasis (pinworms).

Enterobius vermicularis and colitis in Children.

Chronic urticaria in enterobiasis vermicularis (oxyuriasis)]

Enterobiasis: a histopathological study of 259 patients....A necrotic granuloma, removed from the lung of one patient, surrounded a degenerating adult worm.


Pelvic inflammatory disease associated with Enterobius vermicularis.

Relationship between pinworm and urinary tract infections in young girls.

Enterobiasis mimicking Crohn's disease.

Appendiceal colic caused by Enterobius vermicularis.

Detection of Enterobius vermicularis eggs in the submucosa of the transverse colon of a man presenting with colon carcinoma.

A case of ovarian enterobiasis.

An uncommon cause of vaginal bleeding in a child.

Enterobiasis and urinary tract infection.
Enterobius vermicularis is the most common helminthic infection in the US. It is usually considered an innocuous parasite that at the most causes perianal itching. We report a case of an 84-year-old female patient from an assisted living facility who presented with symptoms of colitis for 2 months. On detailed history and exam, she was found to have E. vermicularis infection. All her symptoms resolved dramatically within 2 days after a single dose of albendazole. We want to emphasize the importance of including parasitic infections such as E. vermicularis in the differential diagnoses of patients presenting with symptoms of colitis. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19219921?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubme...


In a 32-year-old woman suffering from severe diarrhoea, eosinophilic infiltration of colonic mucosa and a peripheral eosinophilia, microbiological investigations only revealed large numbers of Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm) in the faeces. Treatment with mebendazole resulted in a rapid resolution of symptoms and disappearance of the eosinophilia, which strongly suggested a causative role of this pinworm in the clinical syndrome of the patient. E. vermicularis is generally regarded as an innocent nematode, which at most causes perianal pruritus due to migration of worms from the colon and expulsion of eggs onto the perianal skin. Although the pinworm maturates and lives in the gut, gastrointestinal symptoms have seldom been reported. E. vermicularis infection should be considered in patients with unexplained eosinophilic enteritis.

Human enterobiasis is usually mild. Occasionally, however, an "ectopic" disease may occur with a more severe course. Two rare cases of eosinophilic ileocolitis due to Enterobius vermicularis infection are reported here. CASE REPORTS: Case n degree 1 was 46 years old, presenting with fever and bloody diarrhoea. Blood eosinophilia was present. Stool microscopy demonstrated red blood cells and leukocytes. A 2 mm long worm with bilateral cervical wings was found in wet-mount preparations of faecal samples. The Scotch tape test was positive for Enterobius vermicularis eggs. Colon biopsy specimens showed massive eosinophilic infiltration and a typical pinworm section overlying the infiltrated mucosa. Case n degree 2 was a 24-year-old, anti-HIV negative homosexual, presenting with watery diarrhoea. Tests for malabsorption were negative. Three mm long adult male E. vermicularis were found on stool microscopy. Biopsy specimens from the colon showed eosinophilic infiltration. In both cases a 200 mg/day course of oral mebendazole eliminated the symptoms within 3 days. CONCLUSIONS: In these two cases the clinical presentation of enterobiasis was atypical. A common finding was the eosinophilic infiltration of bowel mucosa, although it is still uncertain whether the worm per se may induce mast cell degranulation and eosinophil activation. Nevertheless, the possibility of Enterobius vermicularis infection should be considered in the presence of eosinophilic ileocolitis.

BACKGROUND: Extraintestinal Enterobius vermicularis infections are rare but may occasionally affect the female genital tract. Although mostly asymptomatic or causing minor clinical problems, they may lead to severe infectious complications. METHODS: Case report and review of the pertinent English language literature. RESULTS: A 31-year-old, 30-week-pregnant female was admitted with a clinical suspicion of appendicitis. At surgery, the appendix appeared normal, but generalized peritonitis of unclear origin was present. Eggs of Enterobius vermicularis were found upon microbiological and pathological examination. Because of persisting infectious disease, the patient underwent an elective caesarean section, and at that time the diagnosis of a right tuboovarian abscess was made, and salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. The pathology report confirmed the diagnosis of an E. vermicularis salpingo-oophoritis. CONCLUSION: This case was extraordinary because of a combination of tuboovarian abscess and generalized peritonitis with E. vermicularis infection occurring during late pregnancy. Ectopic enterobiasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pelvic infections of gynecological origin.

BACKGROUND: Extraintestinal infestation by Enterobius vermicularis is uncommon. It has been reported to occur in the peritoneal cavity, ovary, fallopian tube, endometrium, lung, liver and urinary tract. CASE REPORT: Fine needle aspiration diagnosis was made in a case of enterobiasis presenting with a subcutaneous abscess in the natal cleft. Eggs, as well as fragments of cuticle of the adult worm, were found; the morphology of both was best visualized in Papanicolaou-stained smears. Polarizing microscopy highlighted the equally spaced parallel grooves of the cuticle. CONCLUSION: Fine needle aspiration cytology of subcutaneous abscesses due to enterobiasis can be diagnostic when eggs, or eggs with cuticle, are identified in a suppurative or granulomatous inflammation.




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