Infection of Strongyloides Stercoralis in Stomach Cancer Patient

ABSTRACT

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode that infects a large portion of the world's population, especially in tropical climates, where the warm, moist soil offers an environment suited to the development of the larvae. In immuno-compromised hosts, receiving corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs or radiotherapy, especially in those with AIDS, large numbers of invasive strongyloides larvae can disseminate widely, which can be fatal. In Korea, several cases of strongyloides hyperinfection have been reported since 1959, and a case of strongyloides hyperinfection, accompanied with metastatic stomach cancer, was reported recently. We experienced a case of strongyloides infection, accompanied with early gastric cancer, and also suffering from bronchial asthma. The patient was treated with albendazole, 200 mg, twice-a-day for 3 days, 1 month after a radical gastric cancer operation. Thereafter, the respiratory symptoms of the patient, including asthmatic attacks, improved.