Chronic diarrhoea due to severe strongyloidiasis in a Chronic Kidney Disease patient: A case report

Abstract

Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted helminth that is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions. S. stercoralis is considered to have a complicated life-cycle on its ability to reproduce through asexual autoinfection and the capability of remaining dormant inside the host for decades [1]. The adult worms live in the small intestine while the larvae penetrate other vital organs such as the liver, brain, lungs, and kidneys, resulting in strongyloidiasis. Therefore, the clinical spectrum of strongyloidiasis varies largely, from asymptomatic to fatal disseminated infection [1]. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is affiliated with the development of severe strongyloidiasis, owing to the associated immune system dysfunction [2]. This is a report of a patient with endstage kidney disease who was infected with S. stercoralis . We aim to highlight the importance of high clinical suspicion and timely diagnosis of S. stercoralis in high-risk populations from endemic regions.