An Analysis of Clinical Characteristics of Strongyloides stercoralis in 70 indigenous patients in Iran

BACKGROUND: Clinical manifestations of Strongyloides stercoralis are variable from asymptomatic to hyperinfection and devastating disseminated infections. Hereby, clinical characteristics of a large series of Iranian strongyloidiasis indigenous cases are described. METHODS: The records of people referred to the Helminthological Diagnostic Laboratory of School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences and School of Medicine, Gilan University of Medical Sciences, during 2009-2013 were reviewed. For those patients that were infected with S. stercoralis and their clinical manifestations and demographic data were available (70 cases) a checklist was prepared and data analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-three patients (61.4%) were male and 27 (38.6%) female. Gastrointestinal, cutaneous and pulmonary symptoms were present in 71.4%, 25.7%, and 15.7% of patients, respectively. None of them had larva currens eruption. Eosinophilia was the most prevalent reason for suspicious on S. stercoralis, but the mean was lower in elderly patients. Hyperinfection were recorded in 8 patients (11.4%), and 2 cases had disseminated infection. CONCLUSION: Eosinophilia is common both in asymptomatic and symptomatic cases of strongyloidiasis, but the mean tend to lower with increase in age.