title: Three cases of intestinal capillariasis in Lao People's Democratic Republic.
abstract: Capillaria philippinensis is a rare zoonotic intestinal parasite that emerged in the 1960s. The outcome of intestinal capillariasis may be fatal if untreated in due time. We report three cases of intestinal capillariasis in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The three patients were unrelated previously healthy young men (24, 26, and 27 years of age) with no underlying disease or immune depression. They had chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, edema, and severe weight loss. Two of them acquired the infection in Thailand; the other patient had no travel history outside Lao PDR. All patients were seen several times in different hospitals before the diagnosis was made. All had concurrent parasite infections: Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Strongyloides stercoralis, Opisthorchis viverrini, and hookworm. The patients frequently consumed uncooked fish. After treatment with albendazole (400 mg/day for 21-30 days) all patients recovered. In Lao PDR, consumption of raw small freshwater fish is common. Therefore, the possibility of a capillariasis outbreak should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Phonepasong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soukhathammavong
authors.forename: Somphou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayasone
authors.forename: Aina Nirina
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Harimanana
authors.forename: Aphonethip
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akkhavong
authors.forename: Sivilay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thammasack
authors.forename: Niranh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Phoumindr
authors.forename: Khamloun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choumlivong
authors.forename: Khamla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choumlivong
authors.forename: Valy
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Keoluangkhot
authors.forename: Simmaly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phongmany
authors.forename: Kongsap
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akkhavong
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hatz
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strobel
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Odermatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002195:Capillaria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D007812:Laos; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics