Clinical Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2004. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 15, 2004; 10(16): 2391-2393
Published online Aug 15, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i16.2391
Clinical features of human intestinal capillariasis in Taiwan
Ming-Jong Bair, Kao-Pin Hwang, Tsang-En Wang, Tai-Cherng Liou, Shee-Chan Lin, Chin-Roa Kao, Tao-Yeuan Wang, Kwok-Kuen Pang
Ming-Jong Bair, Department of Gastroenterology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung Branch, Taiwan, China
Kao-Pin Hwang, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taipei, China
Tsang-En Wang, Tai-Cherng Liou, Shee-Chan Lin, Chin-Roa Kao, Department of Gastroenterology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, China
Tao-Yeuan Wang, Department of Pathology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, China
Kwok-Kuen Pang, Department of Radiology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung Branch, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Ming-Jong Bair, Department of Gastroenterology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung Branch, 1, Lane 303 Chang-Sha St. Taitung, Taiwan, China. library@ttms.mmh.org.tw
Telephone: +886-89-310150 Fax: +886-89-321240
Received: September 15, 2003
Revised: October 11, 2003
Accepted: November 6, 2003
Published online: August 15, 2004
Abstract

Human intestinal capillariasis is a rare parasitosis that was first recognized in the Philippines in the 1960 s. Parasitosis is a life threatening disease and has been reported from Thailand, Japan, South of Taiwan (Kaoh-Siung), Korea, Iran, Egypt, Italy and Spain. Its clinical symptoms are characterized by chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, borborygmus, marked weight loss, protein and electrolyte loss and cachexia. Capillariasis may be fatal if early treatment is not given. We reported 14 cases living in rural areas of Taiwan. Three cases had histories of travelling to Thailand. They might have been infected in Thailand while stayed there. Two cases had the diet of raw freshwater fish before. Three cases received emergency laparotomy due to peritonitis and two cases were found of enteritis cystica profunda. According to the route of transmission, freshwater and brackish-water fish may act as the intermediate host of the parasite. The most simple and convenient method of diagnosing capillariasis is stool examination. Two cases were diagnosed by histology. Mebendazole or albendezole 200 mg orally twice a day for 20-30 d is the treatment of choice. All the patients were cured, and relapses were not observed within 12 mo.

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