title: Peritoneal enterobiasis causing endometriosis-like symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Enterobiasis is the most common parasitic disease of the temperate zones and infects the human intestinal tract. In rare cases extraintestinal infections with Enterobius vermicularis may occur and can affect the female genital tract and peritoneal cavity. In most cases the infection is asymptomatic, but there are also cases described in which peritoneal enterobiasis can cause abdominal pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case report and review of the pertinent literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 32-year-old patient was admitted with cyclical lower abdominal pain. With suspected endometriosis a diagnostic autofluorescence laparoscopy (DAFE) was performed. At surgery extensive peritoneal deposits were seen. Macroscopically these deposits were not typical for endometriosis. The histological examination showed granuloma caused by E. vermicularis eggs. The patient was treated with mebendazole. After completion of treatment the patient was asymptomatic. At the second-look laparoscopy no more peritoneal changes were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Enterobius vermicularis may cause symptoms similar to endometriosis. In cases with reasonable suspicion it should therefore be considered in the differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, lnstitute for Hygiene and Laboratory Medicine,Helios Hospital Krefeld, Krefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reipen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: William
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hemmerlein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salehin
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain; D000328:Adult; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004715:Endometriosis; D017229:Enterobiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D008463:Mebendazole