[Gnathostomiasis caused by Gnathostoma spinigerum etiologically diagnosed upon extraction of the worm from the skin].

Abstract

We report a patient with gnathostomiasis in whom a specific diagnosis of Gnathostoma spinigerum infestation was made morphologically upon removal of the worm. A 47-Year-old Japanese male on a business trip to Vietnam ate fried frog with a Vietnamese friend in January 2002, the friend was diagnosed with gnathostomiasis in June 2002. The patient noted swelling of the right leg with migration to the right arm, prompting him to our hospital in February 2003. Hematologic examination showed eosinophilia, and specific anti-gnathostome antibody was detected by a dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Dot ELISA) in the serum. He was diagnosed as gnathostomiasis, and was given albendazole 400 mg b.i.d. On day 11 of therapy the patient removed a larval worm from the right palmar lesion by pinching with his nails. The worm was identified as G. spinigerum based on morphologic characteristics including number of hooklets on its head-bulb. When gnathostomiasis is suspected, albendazole should be administered before incision of the skin lesion.

• Authors: Mitsuo Sakamoto, Fumiya Sato, Yasutaka Mizuno, Makoto Komatsuzaki, Koji Yoshikawa, Masaki Yoshida, Kohya Shiba, Shoichi Onodera, Tatsuo Hosoya, Masahiro Kumagai
• Journal: Kansenshogaku zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases (Kansenshogaku Zasshi) Vol. 78 Issue 5 Pg. 442-5 (May 2004) ISSN: 0387-5911 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 15211867 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anthelmintics
• Albendazole

Topics

• Albendazole (therapeutic use)
• Animals
• Anthelmintics (therapeutic use)
• Gnathostoma (isolation & purification)
• Humans
• Larva
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Spirurida Infections (diagnosis, drug therapy, parasitology)
• Travel
• Vietnam