An unusual case of Toxocara canis of the ascending colon.
A 52-year-old Cypriot woman was admitted to the surgical department of Larnaca General Hospital complaining of diarrhea and pain in the right upper and lower quadrants, which was reproduced by clinical examination. A palpable mass was also felt in the region. The white blood cell count was 8420/mul: 73.9% neutrophils, 13.3% lymphocytes and 6.9% eosinophils. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 80 mm/h. Parasitic examination of the stools was negative. A colonoscopy located a small mass near the ileoceacal valvule, which was sent for a biopsy. A barium enema and computed tomography scan revealed the same lesion to have expanded into the ascending colon. Despite negative biopsy reports, other findings suggestive of colon cancer prompted us to perform a right hemicolectomy and ileotransverse end to side anastomosis. The mass was found to be expanding into the surrounding fat tissue and into the regional lymph notes. Surprisingly, histological examination of the mass revealed visceral larva migrans, owing to ascaris Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati.
Georgiou
Chrysanthos
C
Larnaca General Hospital, Larnaca, Cyprus, Greece. chr.georgiou@gmail.com
Efstathiades
Yiannis
Y
Dimitriou
Nicoleta
N
Theophanous
Michael
M
Voros
Dionisis
D
D000818:Animals; D044682:Colon, Ascending / Q000469:parasitology*; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007816:Larva Migrans, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D017166:Toxocara canis