Prospective study of strongyloidosis in patients with hematologic malignancies

• Main Authors: Graeff-Teixeira Carlos, Leite Cristina S.M., Sperhacke Cristina L., Fassina Katia, Petry Simone M.G., Mucenic Tamara, Pandolfi Cláudio, Barcellos Susana, Job Fani
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 1997
• Subjects: Strongyloides stercoralis; Strongyloidosis; Leukemia; Lymphoma; Hematologic malignancies; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/17023e6c3dd6461591b91762c8773e16

Immunocompromised individuals infected with Strongyloides stercoralis may develop severe hyperinfection or disseminated disease with high mortality. Patients with hematological malignancies are at risk because of immunodepression produced either by the disease or its treatment. A prospective study was undertaken at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, from July 1994 to July 1995. Seventy-two (HIV negative), had 3 stool samples collected at different days and had not received recent anti-helmintic therapy. Larvae, isolated in a modified Baermann method, were found in 6 patients, with a resultant prevalence of 8.3%. No complicated strongyloidosis was documented. The positive result for S. stercoralis larvae was significantly associated (p < 0.001) with eosinophilia. Knowledge of prevalence figures and incidence of severe disease is important to adequate guidelines for empirical treatment besides the rigorous search for strongyloidosis in patients with hematological malignancies.