Strongyloides stercoralis como causa infrecuente de infección de líquido ascítico en cirrosis / Strongyloides stercoralis as uncommon cause of ascitic fluid infection in cirrhosis

Resumen Se comunica el caso clínico de un varón, con antecedentes de una cirrosis hepática alcohólica y gota, usuario crónico de antiinflamatorios, incluyendo corticoesteroides. Consultó por una melena secundaria a una úlcera bulbar. Durante su internación presentó fiebre, tratándose con ceftriaxona por un probable foco urinario. Por persistir febril, se realizó una paracentesis diagnóstica. En la muestra de líquido ascítico se observaron larvas de Strongyloides stercoralis. Recibió tratamiento antiparasitario con ivermectina, con buena respuesta clínica. Aunque la infección por S. stercoralis es relativamente frecuente en pacientes con cirrosis hepática alcohólica, la ascitis infectada por Strongyloides corresponde a una forma de presentación infrecuente. Este caso muestra la importancia de la paracentesis diagnóstica en todo paciente con ascitis secundaria a una cirrosis. Es importante considerar la presentación atípica de la infestación por Strongyloides en el contexto del paciente inmunocomprometido, ya que sin tratamiento puede tener una alta mortalidad.

Abstract Male patient, with a history of alcoholic cirrhosis frequent user of anti-inflammatory drugs including corticosteroids. He consulted for digestive bleeding secondary to a bulbar ulcer. During the admission, he had fever and antibiotic treatment with ceftriaxone is started, for a urinary infection. Fever persisted for 48 hours, so a diagnostic paracentesis was made: Strongyloides stercoralis larvae were seen in the direct microscopic exam. The patient started antiparasitic treatment with ivermectin. He was discharged and did not returned for follow up. Although infection with S. stercoralis is relatively common in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, ascites infected with Strongyloides corresponds to an infrequent form of presentation. This case shows the importance of diagnostic paracentesis in every cirrhotic patient. It is important to consider atypical presentation of Strongyloides infection in the immunocompromised host, considering it could be fatal without treatment.

A Case of Gastroenteritis Associated with Gastric Trichuriasis

A rare human case of gastroenteritis and eosinophilic ascites associated with gastric trichuriasis is described. The patient was a 32-yr-old woman who was working in a farm near Pohang, Korea. She complained of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Endoscopic examination found focal linear hyperemia on the mucosa of the stomach antrum, and endoscopic biopsy confirmed eosinophilic inflammation of the mucosa and submucosa of the stomach, terminal ileum, and cecum. The biopsy specimen of the stomach included a female Trichuris trichiura which was covered by many inflammatory cells on its surface. Ascites and intestinal wall thickening was found by CT scan, and Douglas pouch centesis aspirated bloody ascites which included many eosinophils. She was medicated with prednisolone and albendazole and cured. She is the first case of eosinophilic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and ascites associated with trichuriasis in the stomach.

Peritonitis espontanea chagasica en un enfermo de SIDA / Spontaneous chagasic peritonitis in a patient with AIDS

La asociación Chagas-SIDA ha sido ampliamente comunicada en la bibliografia en especial en su localización cardíaca y cerebral. Se presenta un paciente de sexo masculino de 36 años afectado de SIDA, con serología reactiva para Chagas y hepatopatía crónica con un recuento de CD4 de 31. Durante la internación desarrolla un cuadro clínico compatible con peritonitis espontánea que revela la presencia de numerosas formas tripomastigotas de T. cruzi en el líquido ascítico. Esta forma clínica de reactivación chagásica no ha sido previamente descrita en la literatura.