Capillariasis: chronic watery diarrhea--not only from microorganisms.
A 54-year-old male Thai patient from Prachin Buri Province presented with a history of chronic watery diarrhea for many years. He passed stool five to ten times per day with occasionally colicky pain, abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting. He had visited hospitals and private clinics and received treatment but with no improvement. He presented to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand, where on physical examination, he had moderate dehydration, weakness, abdominal distension and a gurgling abdomen. The eggs, larvae and adult worms of Capillaria philippinensis were found on stool examination. The patient was admitted and treated with Mebendazole for 20 days, whereupon his symptoms resolved. Two months previously, he had ingested a raw small fresh-water fish dish called "Phra-Pla Siw/Soi". Small fresh-water fish near the patient's home were collected and examined for Capillaria philippinensis larva. The results were negative for parasitic organisms.
Kusolsuk
Teera
T
Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. tmtku@mahidol.ac.th
Phumratanaprapin
Weerapong
W
Paohintung
Kirana
K
Pubampen
Somchit
S
Sa-nguankiat
Surapol
S
Nuamtanong
Supaporn
S
Yoonuan
Tipayarat
T
Anantaphruti
Malinee Thairungroj
MT
Komalamisra
Chalit
C
D000818:Animals; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002195:Capillaria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D013785:Thailand
D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D008463:Mebendazole