clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
Most infections are either mild or asymptomatic. In these patients an increase in peripheral blood eosinophil count is the only sign of infection (1).
skin manifestations
- ground itch
- characteristic cutaneous reaction following acute larvae invasion of the skin
- most commonly affects the foot
- may cause serpiginous or urticarial tracts with severe pruritus lasting for several days
- larva currens (literally “running larvae”)
Note: this should be differentiated form from cutaneous larva migrans
- intensely itchy red tracts seen in the perianal area and upper thighs due to rapid speed of intradermal migration (progressing at around 5-15 cm per hour) of the parasite in chronic infection
- pathognomonic for strongyloidiasis
pulmonary manifestations
- dry cough or wheeze
- Loeffler’s-like syndrome
- rare
- characterised by fever, dyspnoea, wheeze, pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiographs, and accompanying blood eosinophilia
gastrointestinal manifestations
- diarrhoea, anorexia, and vomiting
- epigastric pain worsened by eating (2)
Disseminated strongyloidiasis seen in immunosuppressed patients may present with
- abdominal pain and distension
- shock
- pulmonary and neurologic complications
- septicemia (2)
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