He worked with the sewer. Suddenly there was a “moving” idiot

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A 64-year-old patient complained of unusual rash and diarrhea. Pathological changes in the skin “moved”. Concerned doctors examined the patient’s stool. Then it turned out that the man was infected with the parasite.

A 64-year-old man from Spain developed a rash that “began to move” a few days later. It turned out that the injured person was infected parasitic worm nematodes, ie intestinal nematode (strongyloides stercoralis). The parasite is found only in mammals such as humans, dogs and cats. In addition, it causes a disease called strontyloidosis, also known as snakebite. Thus, the 64-year-old “moving idiot” – the parasite crawled all over his body under his skin. This unusual event is described in The New England Journal of Medicine.

A “moving” idiot

A 64-year-old man was diagnosed with lung cancer with metastases that had already formed in the spine and compressed the spinal cord. The patient was taken to a hospital in Madrid. There he was given large doses of glucocorticosteroids. This is a group of steroids designed to fight inflammation. They are sometimes used to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients and to treat some types of cancer.

Four days after taking glucocorticoids, the man developed a rash of red, wavy lines. There was also diarrhea. The first lesions appeared around the anus. However, they quickly spread to all parts of the body and limbs. In addition, at a rapid pace. The rash “moved” as if something was crawling under the skin of a 64-year-old man. Concerned doctors examined the patient’s stool. It was later discovered that the man was infected with an intestinal nematode (strongyloides stercoralis).

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Parasites – how can you get infected?

The larvae of this parasite live in the soil, so people are usually infected when they come in contact with contaminated soil. The parasite can also enter the human body through contact with human waste or sewage. It is unknown how the 64-year-old man became infected. This is probably what happened while working with the sewer department.

Symptoms of infection with intestinal nematodes include: blisters on the skin, erythema, abdominal pain and diarrhea. The man recovered quickly with anti-parasitic drugs.