Anisakidosis: a fortuitous mimicker of gastrointestinal malignancy.
A 51-year-old woman presented with epigastric pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. Her sister was recently diagnosed with duodenal adenocarcinoma, manifesting similar symptoms. Imaging revealed thickened gastric antrum with enlarged local lymph nodes. Endoscopy illustrated 3 worms embedded in the antral wall, identified as Anisakis simplex larvae. Larvae removal and a 2-week albendazole regimen treated the symptoms. With globalisation of cultural culinary practices, physicians must be vigilant of anisakidosis. Its ability to mimic peptic ulcer disease, chronic gastritis and malignancy necessitates broader differential diagnoses and lower thresholds for endoscopy.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Chicago, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Mohammad Qasim
MQ
Khan
University of Chicago, Glenview, Illinois, USA.
Jonathan
J
Williams
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000469:parasitology; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D017129:Anisakiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D017163:Anisakis; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014839:Vomiting / Q000469:parasitology
D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole