• Main Authors: Valdes Roberto Bollela, Cinara Feliciano, André Costa Teixeira, Ana Carolina Ribeiro Junqueira, Marcos Antonio Rossi
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2013
• Subjects: Strongyloides stercoralis; Gastrointestinal hemorrhage; AIDS; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/3d9ebf088268400da3b3b1b8ca6f1651

Strongyloides stercoralis is an endemic nematode to tropical and subtropical regions of the globe. The parasite is capable of autoinfection, which is limited by an intact immune response. In immunocompromised hosts, hyperinfection and dissemination can occur and have a high index of mortality. A hyperinfection syndrome with dissemination is frequently associated with corticosteroid administration and other conditions (malignancies and organ transplantation). Interestingly, although strongyloidiasis is common among AIDS patients in endemic areas, the hyperinfection syndrome is rarely noted. We report here on a rare manifestation of fulminant gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to hyperinfection of strongyloidiasis in a female drug-abusing, alcoholic HIV/AIDS patient.