A 36-year-old man with vomiting, pain abdomen, significant weight loss, hyponatremia, and hypoglycemia

Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2015 Oct-Dec;58(4):500-5. doi: 10.4103/0377-4929.168871.

Abstract

Diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection can be a challenge. The key to a timely diagnosis is to have a high index of suspicion. We present a rare case of a 36-year-old human immunodeficiency virus negative male patient, who was on multidrug therapy for lepromatous leprosy and was treated for type 2 lepra reactions with steroids in the past. The patient presented with vomiting and pain abdomen, persistent hyponatremia, and terminal hypoglycemia. He had features of malnutrition and had a rapid downhill course following admission. A diagnosis of S. stercoralis hyperinfection with sepsis and multiorgan failure, adrenal hemorrhage, and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion was established on a postmortem examination.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / etiology
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemia / etiology
  • Hyponatremia / etiology
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / complications
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Sepsis / etiology*
  • Sepsis / pathology*
  • Strongyloides stercoralis / isolation & purification*
  • Strongyloidiasis / complications
  • Strongyloidiasis / diagnosis*
  • Strongyloidiasis / pathology*
  • Vomiting / etiology
  • Weight Loss