Published online Dec 16, 2017. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v5.i12.432
Peer-review started: June 30, 2017
First decision: August 10, 2017
Revised: August 25, 2017
Accepted: September 13, 2017
Article in press: September 13, 2017
Published online: December 16, 2017
Processing time: 162 Days and 0.1 Hours
Taenia spp. are flatworms of the class Cestoda, whose definitive hosts are humans and primates. Human infestation (taeniasis) results from the ingestion of raw meat contaminated with encysted larval tapeworms and is considered relatively harmless and mostly asymptomatic. Anemia is not recognized as a possible sign of taeniasis and taeniasis-induced hemorrhage is not described in medical books. Its therapy is based on anthelmintics such praziquantel, niclosamide or albendazole. Here we describe a case of acute ileal bleeding in an Italian man affected with both Taenia spp. infestation resistant to albendazole and Helicobacter pylori-associated duodenal ulcers.
Core tip: The novel contribution of our paper is to draw attention to taeniasis as a possible cause of gastrointestinal bleeding, since anemia is so far not recognized as a possible sign of taeniasis nor is taeniasis-induced hemorrhage described in medical text books. With this report we describe a case of ileal bleeding most probably caused by this kind of infestation. Our objective is to make clinicians aware of this rare but possible situation. Taeniasis should be therefore taken into account in the differential diagnosis of melena and/or hematochezia.